Watch Over You
by Lisa12
Summary: Follow up to 'Wish For You' - Ten years on what's going on with Mon and John? More PG-13 than R (the system confuses me :P) Please R/R Enjoy! :D
1. Default Chapter

Title: Watch Over You Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@yahoo.com.au Disclaimer: I do not own X Files, and they remain the property of the people/companies who do own it (like der) and I'm not writing this for money! Yay!  
  
Category: DRR Rating: I'm rating it R, just because it contains adult themes, medium level language, low level violence and one very tiny sex scene.  
  
Notes: This one follows Wish For You, the Xmas story I wrote a couple of months back. But you don't have to have read it to understand any of the details in this fic, so enjoy anyways! :D Oh and the timeline of the original story was pretty much set after release, although the episode itself was never described, Monica just knew about Brad's "dealings" and their relation to Luke. Um, so William, Sunshine Days and The Truth never happened! And they still haven't! Yay! Hehe More notes at the end so that I don't give away the story! Oh and if you're a keen Australian observer I snuck in a Water Rats and a Federal Parliament reference into the first part :P I forget where else but hehehehe ENJOY!  
  
Prologue  
  
September 30, 2003  
  
Monica knew that John had entered her room without opening her eyes and waited until he got closer, taking a seat on a chair that must have been right beside the bed. She stretched out a hand and hummed softly. After a moment she felt John's fingers latch around her own and she opened her eyes.  
  
"Sorry I woke you," he whispered. Monica shook her head. "I can't stay much longer."  
  
"What's the time?" she asked.  
  
"Nine-thirty." Slowly, Monica realised that her private room was lit only with a small light coming from the other side of the bed. She pushed herself up with her elbows as John reached out and handed her their daughter. Monica held her breath as she took her, adjusting the tiny body in her arms. She looked up at John as he moved to sit beside her on the bed. "You okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, it's just still...overwhelming-" She stopped, watching John as he reached down and ran a finger across the baby's cheek, before lifting it and repeating the motion against her own face.  
  
"You're doing great, beautiful," he whispered, leaning in and kissing her. "Thought much more about names?" he whispered against her cheek, running his fingers through her hair and combing out the knots that had gathered earlier that evening.  
  
"How about..." she started. "Jodie, like we said, but...how does James sound? I know it's unconventional but it's really hard to find something that...uh...fits-" John chuckled. Yeah, he'd noticed. 'J' seemed to be one of the only letters in the alphabet that did - even Monica was MJ - but there was no way he was dwelling on particulars tonight.  
  
"JJ?" John asked. Monica turned her gaze from their child and looked across at him, their foreheads barely touching. "Jodie James Doggett." She nodded, smiling.  
  
"Sure." John grinned as he watched Monica stifle a yawn. He ran his hands along her arms and she handed Jodie back to him.  
  
"The nurses told me they'd bring her into you again first thing tomorrow morning and that you'll be out of here tomorrow afternoon. We'll organise the official side of things tomorrow too-"  
  
"Okay," Monica replied as she slid back down into bed and let her eyes drift close.  
  
"Okay," John repeated, bending over and letting his lips rest on her cheek. "I love you."  
  
"Love you too," Monica mumbled as she fell asleep quickly.  
  
*  
  
Monica checked the file in her hands as she rounded the corner at Quantico, stopping in the middle of the hallway, trying to work out which direction to follow. A familiar figure caught her eye and the two women smiled at each other. Scully approached quickly.  
  
"Monica, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Oh," Monica sighed. "I'm looking for Doctor uh, Janson's office. He was meant to have faxed us some autopsy reports this morning and no one's been able to get a hold of him."  
  
"He never showed up this morning."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just didn't turn up. Looks like he's packed up and left in the middle of the night." Monica was curious but tired, and sighed again.  
  
"Great."  
  
"Had he performed the autopsy already, do you know?"  
  
"No I don't. Agent Butler and I have been waiting all morning- Do you think I could nose around his office to see if there's a file or anything?"  
  
"Sure, follow me," Scully replied, leading her back down the hallway and through a couple more passageways until they got to an office blocked by two police guards.  
  
"I'm sorry, you two can't come in here," one stopped them. Scully lifted the badge pinned to her jacket and Monica fished in her pocket for her ID, flipping it open.  
  
"Agents Scully and Doggett," Scully began. "The detective in charge?"  
  
"That'd be me," a voice boomed from behind them. "Doctor Scully," Vincent Gnash greeted as they turned. "Agent Doggett."  
  
"What's going on Vince?" Monica asked. "We need files."  
  
"Recent files?"  
  
"Is there anything new there since yesterday?"  
  
"No files there but from a week back." Monica sighed.  
  
"So what, did he take em?"  
  
"We're not sure at this stage Agent. What's the case?"  
  
"I can't tell you," Monica answered.  
  
"Ooh," Gnash began. "Matter of national security is it?"  
  
"You never know." She turned to Scully. "I'll try getting the body moved."  
  
"I can do it if you want-"  
  
"No, no, your day's already full as it is I'm sure. I have to get back." She glanced up at the detective. "Let us know what you find out about Janson." She turned and walked away at a brisk pace. Gnash turned to Scully.  
  
"They pushing her hard, eh?"  
  
"So he's taken all his files with him, or has he even done them?"  
  
"You tell me," Gnash replied.  
  
*  
  
Monica was reading over one of her final reports before filing it away when the phone rang.  
  
"Doggett," she answered. Butler, sitting beside her, snickered and she reached across and whacked him over the head.  
  
"Hi mummy!" Monica checked her watch.  
  
"Hey baby are you feeling better?"  
  
"Yes! Mulder let me have ice cream!" Monica was about to reply when she heard a "Gimme that" and a few giggles.  
  
"I swear I didn't Mon-"  
  
"I don't believe you," Monica teased. "No that's fine. She's okay?"  
  
"Had a big sleep this morning. Seems fine. More colour, temp's down."  
  
"You were able to get away for class?"  
  
"Yeah John dropped by. JJ and I thought we'd call and let you know that we're going to pick up William."  
  
"Sure, I was going to call you anyway, my primary case has fallen through so I'll be dragging John out of his office earlier than usual."  
  
"Not busy in your little awareness unit?"  
  
"It's hardly a 'little' awareness unit Mulder."  
  
"Yeah, ANSIR is a department of national security. Sure." Monica rolled her eyes.  
  
"What time do you want us over?"  
  
"Take your time. We love taking care of your sick kid."  
  
"Oh come on Mulder, you love the jigsaws and the children's television and- "  
  
"Ha-ha."  
  
"No, thankyou."  
  
"It's no problems Monica. Turn up whenever, we'll be back in an hour."  
  
*  
  
John was typing furiously at his computer when a familiar head of long brown hair jumped across his desk at him.  
  
"Boo," Monica exclaimed, peering over his cubicle. John looked up, smiling.  
  
"Good afternoon."  
  
"Any great financial crimes to report for the day?"  
  
"Just the usual," he replied. Monica nodded. "You off early?"  
  
"Yeah we need this autopsy report and our doctor did a runner, so I had to get the body moved to a different doc and well, Butler and I didn't see any point in hanging around pretending like we were doing work, so we scooted off. How bout you?"  
  
"Just gotta print this. Does Agent Rowers mind you leaning across her desk?"  
  
"She's getting a cup of coffee," Monica glanced across the room and waved at the woman who was making her way back towards her desk.  
  
"Monica, hi, how are you today?"  
  
"Good thanks. Long day?"  
  
"Very," she nodded. "You here to steal your hubby?"  
  
"Do you think anyone will notice?"  
  
"Hardly," she replied. "Bye John."  
  
"I didn't say I was ready to go yet!" John defended, grinning. Monica walked around to his side of the desk and leant down next to him as he continued. "It's early, and we don't have to be there until-"  
  
"Exactly," Monica whispered, grinning. John laughed. "Anyway we need to pick up Dana's birthday present. I left it at home this morning." John nodded as he saved his work and shut down his computer, saying goodbye to the scattered agents around him as he and Monica left hand in hand.  
  
*  
  
"So where'd you leave it?" John asked as he followed Monica up to their bedroom.  
  
"Here," Monica replied, placing the package on the bed. "JJ and Mulder called earlier. She seems better."  
  
"Better than last night anyway." Monica laughed, but her brow creased as John took the present off the bed and put it on the floor next to the door.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked as he turned back to face her. John grinned.  
  
"You said we had some extra time- You didn't tell him we'd be there early did you?"  
  
"No Mulder was quite adamant that whenever was fine," she replied with a grin, taking a step forward as John leant in and they kissed, Monica working immediately on helping John to shrug off his jacket, tie and eventually his shirt. They paused in time as John fiddled to get more than the top two buttons on Monica's very well to do blouse undone. He'd helped her fasten the buttons on her right cuff that morning and knew it wasn't coming off easily. She went to help him but he shook his head, cupping her chin and bringing her eyes to meet his.  
  
"Leave it on," he whispered, running his hands up over her back and unhooking her bra anyway. Monica was working on his belt and pants and moaned as John's hands pushed up underneath her bra, his fingers gliding and caressing over the soft skin of her breasts. They leant in to kiss again as John brushed Monica's own slacks over her hips and they stepped aside together, John pushing Monica up against the bed and falling beside her. She went to take the upper hand but he refused, pinning her on her back. John laid a trail of kisses down her body as he made his way to her underwear, removing it so slowly Monica almost groaned out in frustration. She didn't waste a moment with his, grabbing them when he wasn't expecting it and helping him kick them down his legs and onto the floor, both of them crawling back into the centre of the bed.  
  
John bunched the tail of Monica's blouse and lifted it until his fingers had access once again to her breasts. Monica wrapped a leg over John's hip and he didn't need an invitation, filling her completely. As their thrusts became harder and faster, Monica felt John swell within her and lifted her hips to a different angle, crying out as she felt his pelvis crushing hers, climaxing just seconds after him. It was fast and furious, but it was what they'd both needed.  
  
Monica collapsed back onto the bed, pulling John with her. She let out a soft whimper as he pulled out, nestled close, and kissed her deeply.  
  
"Oh God Mon," he whispered, their foreheads leaning together. "That was incredible." He took a deep breath to calm his beating heart and Monica smiled, still recovering herself. John watched, concerned, as she shut her eyes. He reached out and ran his hand along her face. "You wanna stay?" She shook her head. Jodie had started throwing up around six the previous evening, and after John and Monica had helped clean her up and set her up in her room for bed, she'd insisted her mum stay until she'd gone to sleep. John was pretty certain it was three am before Monica fell into bed beside him, and she hadn't looked too peachy that morning either.  
  
"Just give me a sec," she replied. John smiled. He could tell she was falling asleep more certainly every minute they lay there. He got out of bed and hung up his suit, changing into some casual slacks and a shirt, and by the time he was done and ready to go, Monica was, as he'd assumed she would be, fast asleep on top of the bed. He walked over and found her underwear, revelling in the scent of her as he slipped them onto her legs. She groaned. "I'm coming-"  
  
"No you're not," John replied, pulling back the sheets. She shuffled around until she could get under them and John tucked them up around her waist. He took her wrists and gently unbuttoned those darn fiddly buttons to give her more room. Letting her go, her fingers curled around the covers and she pulled them higher.  
  
John smiled in the bedroom doorway as he looked back at his sleeping wife, remembering to pick up the present by his feet on his way out.  
  
*  
  
"Flying solo John?" Scully asked as she opened the door, the casual attire not escaping her attention as she let him in and closed the door behind him.  
  
"Yeah, she's catching up on some sleep."  
  
"You know what would be really bad?" she suggested as they walked down the hallway and into the living room. "If she caught this bug from JJ."  
  
"Don't even go there." Scully smiled.  
  
"It happened to me once. Poor Mulder had to do everything for a couple of days!" John groaned.  
  
"I'm sure Mon's fine." John walked up the dining table where Jodie and William were doing their homework. Well, they would have been both doing homework if Jodie had gone to school. For now she was reading a short story book John had bought her the previous week.  
  
"Hi daddy," Jodie called. "I'm up to page a hundred! Nearly finished!"  
  
"Hey, nice work! That's great! Hope you haven't been strainin' your eyes-" The nine-year-old shook her head and removed the thin, black frames from her face, folding them carefully and putting them in the nearby case. It must have been some unknown gene on Monica's side because while his family had perfect sight, Monica needed reading glasses and so did their daughter. They'd never know why, but that didn't matter for now. John leant down and kissed her cheek and she giggled. "You ready to go?" he whispered in her ear as he ran his hand through her dark brown hair. She nodded, looking over at him with her big, brown eyes. Spitting image, he thought and not for the first time, everything but the smile. "Okay," John continued as she stood up with him. "Thankyou Mulder-"  
  
"No problems. You're on Will-duty tomorrow night."  
  
"I remember. What time do your classes finish?" Scully returned from the kitchen and answered him as John subtly left the present on the dining room table.  
  
"I finish at eight and Mulder eight-thirty. Ah John, you shouldn't ha-"  
  
"Happy birthday Dana. See you all tomorrow."  
  
"Bye Will," Jodie said, giving him a small wave as Scully led them back to the front door.  
  
"Bye JJ."  
  
"Oh John, before I forget," Scully exclaimed as they bid farewell at the front steps. "Let Monica know that Janson's in Bermuda, okay?"  
  
"Uh, sure."  
  
"She'll know what I'm talking about. And he's not coming back."  
  
*  
  
"She's sleeping," Jodie concluded as she returned from upstairs, dressed in her pyjamas.  
  
"You sure you're up for some food?"  
  
"Yeah!" John eyed her.  
  
"How about some toast with baked beans?"  
  
"You just don't wanna cook." John gasped, walked up to her and grabbed her around the waist, spinning her around just once, so that she ended up facing him.  
  
"I'll have you know I'm a terrific cook."  
  
"Okay daddy," she replied earnestly, moving to sit on one of the stools. "Not too dark," she warned as he put some bread in the toaster.  
  
*  
  
Monica loosened her dressing gown later that night as she returned to the bedroom where John was waiting.  
  
"She asleep?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah." Monica shed her gown and slid into bed beside John. "You know you should've kept me awake because now I'm not so tired." John chuckled, pulling her closer to him and kissing her softly.  
  
"You needed to catch up. You'll sleep tonight yet."  
  
"You're sure of that?" she asked, eyebrow raised.  
  
"Certainly am," he replied, grinning. "Have I told you I love you today?" Monica shook her head as John nuzzled her cheek. "Well beautiful, I do."  
  
"I love you too," she answered, sighing against his chest as she pressed her lips to his skin. "John can we talk about something?" John pulled her up to be level with him and nodded.  
  
"What is it?" Monica took his hand in hers and held it over her right arm, running his fingers down for them both to feel the length of the implant spread under her skin.  
  
"It's passed its use by date." John watched her carefully. Five years, he remembered. Monica had discussed the use of Norplant with him, and they'd decided it was the best method of contraception for them, which had so far proved extremely effective. Reading Monica's expression, however, he wondered if it had been too effective.  
  
"Okay," he stated. Monica bit her bottom lip and sighed. "Mon-"  
  
"It's just that this would be our last chance," she continued quickly. "And I know last time it didn't work but I-" John wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.  
  
"Why didn't you say something sooner?" he asked as she looked up into his eyes.  
  
"I thought I was just...going through a phase or something... I guess on the one hand I didn't want to be disappointed again... I didn't want you to be disappointed in me-"  
  
"Monica, you haven't disappointed me yet, you know that." She blinked, nodding in reply. "You're nearly forty, I'm nearly fifty. We have to think about this. You know how much I wanted another child with you, but we spent so long trying-"  
  
"I have been thinking about it," Monica cut him off, running a hand along her cheek. "We're both healthy. Perfectly so and the doctors never found a problem before...Six months, John. Please. Then..." John nodded, wiping the tears he instinctively knew were on her cheeks away. Monica pulled forward and they hugged tightly.  
  
"Maybe a year," John whispered in her ear. "Then Mon, Mon we gotta be content with our beautiful girl. I know it's hard-"  
  
"I love you both so much," Monica sighed as John released her.  
  
"So when can you get that thing removed from your arm?"  
  
"Tomorrow afternoon."  
  
"Then can we get started?" Monica laughed, rolling onto her back and letting her arm swing out and hit John in the stomach. He gasped, but grabbed her hand and held it to him, caressing it. He felt Monica shiver and smiled, knowing that it wasn't from the cold as they nestled together for the night.  
  
*  
  
Tiptoeing slowly past her parents' bedroom, Jodie heard their muffled voices and knew they were talking about something important. While both Monica and John had been busy with work, Jodie realised that there was something else on her mother's mind. She didn't know what and didn't expect to be told, but she had a sense about these things, and could tell when something in the house wasn't quite right. Hopefully that feeling would be faded by morning, she thought as she padded into the kitchen for a glass of water. While she was there, she snuck a small piece of chocolate too. Couldn't hurt, she thought as she popped it into her mouth and made her way back to bed. After sleeping through most of the day at the Mulder's, she wasn't as tired as she should be, and she wanted to know what her mum and dad were talking about. She hated being left out. She sighed, clamouring back into bed and eventually falling asleep.  
  
*  
  
"Will it take up lots of class time?" Jodie asked as Monica drove them both to her school.  
  
"Nope. Hope not anyway."  
  
"Aw!" Monica laughed. "Are you nervous?"  
  
"If I get nervous I'll look over at you, and you can pull a face for me, okay?"  
  
"What kind of face?" Jodie asked, sticking out her tongue so that it was level with her chin. "Like this?"  
  
"Yeah, like that, and then you can explain to Mrs Liebermann that you were only sticking out your tongue to calm your mother."  
  
"I don't think she'd like that mummy."  
  
"Ah well."  
  
"Hey mum?" Jodie continued as they pulled up at a pedestrian crossing.  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"Is this going to be really boring? Mum?" Monica's eyes were fixed on the man crossing the street in front of her car. She'd seen him before. He turned and watched her, and she saw him smile. He seemed older, but his eyes, she would never forget those eyes.  
  
"Kris," she whispered as a horn sounded from another car. She checked her mirror and when she looked back at the road he was gone. She put her foot down and drove forward, her brow creased. She hadn't seen him since an afternoon ten years ago, in the park on Bennett Avenue. It was snowing, John mysteriously found her... It couldn't be, she was seeing things.  
  
"Did you know that man mummy?" Jodie asked beside her. Monica's brow creased.  
  
"Who JJ?"  
  
"The man who crossed the road."  
  
"You saw him?" Jodie laughed.  
  
"Yes mum I'm not blind!" Monica bit her tongue and made a left towards the school. She'd have to tell John, she would call him quickly that morning before she and Butler went inside.  
  
*  
  
When Monica and Jodie pulled up, Butler was already waiting for them, and he was getting several curious stares from passing children. He screamed 'suit', his sandy blonde hair and brown eyes enough to catch the attention of several arriving teachers and parents also.  
  
"Took your time?" he asked as Monica approached him, Jodie waving a hello before running off in the opposite direction to find her friends, Rachel and Frankie, for the day.  
  
"Ah, it's that kind of morning. How much time do we have?"  
  
"We don't have to head in for another five minutes. You finish those notes?" Monica nodded, digging into her bag and handing them to him as she took out her phone. Butler gave her a look but she shook her head, taking a step back.  
  
"I'll be quick, I promise." Turning her back on him she dialled home. He shouldn't have left home yet. No answer. Eight rings. Her voice.  
  
"Hi, you've reached the Doggett house. [Doghouse] We can't come to the phone but if you leave your name and number, we'll get back to you as soon as possible." Monica smiled as she heard John's voice in the middle. She'd started laughing the first time and every time since then she had to restrain herself.  
  
"John it's me, you shouldn't have left yet, should you? Anyway I'll try you again later this morning but I swear I saw Kris this morning. Remember? Jodie did too. I don't know what that means... Anyway, um, I hope he's here for good reason. Oh, Butler's calling me back I'll call you at work later. Wish me luck!" Monica hung up and turned back to her partner. "Yeah, yeah-" she called, walking back to him. "We set?"  
  
"All set," Butler repeated as they walked into the administration building.  
  
*  
  
Monica shuffled some notes in her lap and looked across at Butler, who was looking out at the audience. She noticed him smiling and followed his gaze, only to see Jodie waving conspicuously. She smiled and waved back as they were announced.  
  
"All right, have I got years 4-6 seated? Good. Good morning everyone. This morning's assembly is going to be different than the usual, because we've got some special guests from the FBI to speak with us. I expect you to give them your full attention because they have some very important information to give you." There was the standard round of applause that always made Monica feel slightly uncomfortable, and she and Butler stood.  
  
"Good morning everyone," Butler announced. "My name's Grant and this is Monica, and to get the boring stuff out of the way, we do work for the FBI, but we work for a shared branch called Awareness of National Security Issues and Response. Now if you spell that out you get A-N-S-I-R. ANSIR." The children, confused and bored by Butler - which was planned, of course - laughed as Monica visibly rolled her eyes and turned away from him. "You think you can do any better Monica?" She turned back, smiling, and leant into his microphone. The lecterns had been removed.  
  
"Absolutely Grant. Who wants to come up here and see a real FBI badge?" Half the children stuck their hands in the air and there was an echo of 'me!' throughout the hall. She turned to Grant. "Could you go and pick someone please Agent Butler?" Grant nodded, walking across the stage and down the stairs, and hundreds of eyes followed. Monica saw him lean down and whisper something in Jodie's ear as he passed her - she hadn't had her hand up - and continued towards the back, pulling a ten or eleven-year-old boy from the crowd and bringing him back. "Hi, what's your name?" Monica asked, moving the microphone lower so that he could speak into it. He was probably in Jodie's class, she realised.  
  
"Jeffrey," he answered. Monica stuck out her hand.  
  
"Hi Jeff," she replied, shaking his hand and handing her his badge to look at. "Now a lot of people don't believe us when we tell them we're with the FBI. Does that look real to you?"  
  
"Yep!" he beamed, pretending to pocket it.  
  
"Nuh-uh," Monica teased, stretching out her hand. The darn kid raised his eyebrow at her. The little shit. Monica cleared her throat. "Agent butler, could you get out the handcuffs please?" Jeff handed her back her wallet in no time and the rest of the children laughed. So far, so good. "Any questions before we get started?"  
  
"Can I see your gun?" Jeff asked, which got another laugh from the older children in the back, and excited gasps from the younger ones, boys particularly.  
  
"No," Monica replied as Grant sent him back to his seat. "You see we're allowed to bring our guns in, but we can only take them out if there's an emergency. Now when Grant returns - come on Agent - he's going to explain to you why we're here today, and what we're going to be talking to you about."  
  
*  
  
Half an hour into things, Monica thought it was going quite well. This was the youngest group of children they'd prepared for so far, but the program was going well and she was happy they were on track as she and Butler moved through a simple power-point presentation, filling in the gaps with a couple of humorous anecdotes to prove their point and drive their message home harder. Be alert, not alarmed!  
  
They were about to wrap things up, and Monica was half way through taking questions when the back door opened and a shot rang out. There were screams amongst the audience as a middle-aged man looking reasonably respectable in a pair of well-kept jeans and a button down shirt approached the stage. By now Butler and Monica had both drawn their weapons and Monica had instructed everyone to take a seat on the floor. Most had complied and those that hadn't were quickly being forced to by their teachers.  
  
"Where's the kid?"  
  
"FBI, put your weapon down," Butler called evenly as the man approached them. He stopped upon hearing their call and hesitated, looking from Monica to Butler.  
  
"Fuck this," he mumbled, before turning and heading for the door. Monica jumped off the stage and ran after him, both of them scrambling out the auditorium door as Butler managed to contain the excited students and worried staff.  
  
* 


	2. Part 2

Title: Watch Over You Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@yahoo.com.au Disclaimer: I do not own X Files, and they remain the property of the people/companies who do own it (like der) and I'm not writing this for money! Yay!  
  
Category: DRR Rating: I'm rating it R, just because it contains adult themes, medium level language, low level violence and one very tiny sex scene. Notes at Part One and final part  
  
Monica burst through the door and grabbed the man around the waist. They crashed against the hallway wall and then onto the floor as Monica struggled to get the upper hand. She had his left hand pinned behind his back as she straddled him, and her other hand was pushing his face into the ground. She needed Butler and she needed him quickly.  
  
Soon enough, Monica heard footsteps hurrying to the door and could hear Butler shouting orders down his phone. She turned her head as he appeared in the doorway. The man underneath her took his chance and turned, his right hand finding the gun and swinging it, along with his fist, back in her face as he pushed her off him and ran in the opposite direction, dropping his gun, probably stolen Butler realised, on the way. Monica went to stand and follow him but Butler grabbed her around the waist.  
  
"They'll pick him up, we can ID him, leave it." Monica sighed but nodded as her hand rested against her right eye, holding it closed.  
  
"Are they-" He cut her off as they pulled apart.  
  
"They're putting lockdown procedures in place right now... Now, you gonna let me see the shiner?"  
  
"It doesn't feel very shiny at this point, more like throbbing mass of pain- " she cringed as she removed her hand. Butler whistled as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and bundled it in her hand, holding it to her eye again. "That bad?"  
  
"It looks worse than it is," he responded, picking up the abandoned weapon.  
  
"That's really comforting Butler."  
  
"Hey, no problems." He walked back into the auditorium and by now the assistant principal who'd introduced them was talking to the students, but he spoke with some staff closer to the doors, before shutting both. "Now all we have to do is wait for the cavalry to arrive and guard this door."  
  
"What about the other classrooms?" Monica asked.  
  
"There's a phone inside, they've been told to lock their doors and close all the curtains in the classrooms." Monica nodded and took a seat against the hallway on the floor, her knees pulled to her chest.  
  
"I should've shot him," she groaned, resting her head back against the wall.  
  
"You're lucky he didn't shoot you. Sorry you lost your backup for a while there."  
  
"No, it's better you kept them calm in there, otherwise it would've been much harder." Butler turned as the auditorium door opened and a pair of eyes peeked out. He moved closer.  
  
"What is it?" he asked. Monica listened carefully but didn't make an effort to move just yet. She could only hear Butler's side of the conversation. "Oh, um- Monica?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"JJ wants to-" Monica shook her head.  
  
"No, she stays in there with the rest. Tell her I'm fine."  
  
"But you're not."  
  
"Tell her I'm fine," Monica repeated, getting to her feet as several officers entered the hallway, running silent. Butler quickly shut the auditorium door and spoke for several moments with the captain, who ordered his men to continue searching, directing them into certain hallways using hand gestures. Two armed officers took guard at the door and Butler and Monica were led back outside.  
  
"He didn't open fire on the students?"  
  
"No," Monica answered.  
  
"He might have, but we drew our weapons and I don't think he was prepared to be faced with two armed FBI agents. He yelled something like 'Where's the kid?'"  
  
"Unplanned then?"  
  
"Or just poorly researched," Monica replied as one of the officers helped her into the back of a squad car.  
  
"Ambulance will be here soon."  
  
"I really don't need one-" Monica maintained. "Hey Butler!"  
  
"Yeah?" Butler came over to the car and leant against the open door.  
  
"Can I use your phone? Mine's back inside the auditorium."  
  
"Sure. I just called John though if that's who you're going to call."  
  
"You did?" Monica smiled as her partner nodded. "Thanks Butler."  
  
"No problems. I give him five, ten minutes max, way over the speed limit." The captain approached them both and Monica stood back up out of the car.  
  
"Any sign of him?" she asked, still not game enough to remove the handkerchief from her eye.  
  
"None. But his prints will be all over the gun we're hoping."  
  
"He wasn't wearing gloves. I should know," Monica commented. The captain smirked.  
  
"That's a good thing. You know you should get that checked out."  
  
"I'll be fine," Monica insisted.  
  
"The building's clear so far, and we're nearly done. We're pulling student details straight away, going to ask parents to come and collect hopefully before the media catches on."  
  
As the captain left Monica was approached by a medic and sighed, following them over to their bus on Butler's orders. Carefully, her hand was removed from her eye.  
  
"Ooh, nasty," one commented.  
  
"That makes me feel so much better," Monica mumbled as she tilted her head back and they rinsed the wound.  
  
"Nothing we can't fix," the other reassured.  
  
*  
  
John slammed his car door shut as he jumped out and spotted Butler straight away. He was arriving with the first wave of parents, he guessed, looking around at officers gathering small crowds to get names. Butler walked up to him.  
  
"They dragged her into the ambulance," he called, gesturing to the bus at his left. John smiled and nodded his thanks before jogging over.  
  
"Ow, shit!" he heard and was instantly reassured that she was fine, she was alive, nothing serious. Butler had, of course, told him that over the phone, but he had to see it for himself.  
  
"Sorry Monica it's going to sting."  
  
"You're going to have one helluva blac-"  
  
"I'll bet, and you have a great bedside manner. I hope you're not doing this to pay your way through med school. Are we done?" she asked impatiently.  
  
John rounded the back of the bus and flicked his badge open for the medics to see.  
  
"Agent Doggett here. How's she doing?"  
  
"I think she's pissed he got away," one commented as he took a closer look. "Doggett eh? Isn't that her name Mike?"  
  
"Jesus Carlos."  
  
"You know I am still here," Monica commented, as Carlos dabbed some cream onto her cheekbone. She reached out for John's hand and found it instantly. "He's my husband." Mike moved aside so John could get closer. He took a seat on the edge of the bus next to her.  
  
"Got here as soon as I could."  
  
"Stitches need to come out in a week, and the swelling should go down within a day or two."  
  
"Can I steal her back now?" John asked.  
  
"She's all yours buddy," Carlos replied, laughing as Monica shot him a look. "Take care of yourself."  
  
"Where did you park?" Monica asked as John led her over to the parking lot.  
  
"Right here." He opened the front passenger seat and she got in, immediately snapping down the mirror to check herself out. The swollen cheek and three stitches below her eyebrow, irritated and covered in disinfectant, weren't the most battered collection she'd ever seen, but it wasn't bad. John laughed as she sighed and flipped the mirror back up.  
  
"Please tell me it looks better than it looks." John met her eyes with a smile.  
  
"As much as it confuses me to say it, it looks much better than it looks." Monica bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "How about you stay put, I'll go back in and get our girl. She saw the whole thing?"  
  
"Until we got out into the hallway and the doors were shut after us, yeah."  
  
"She'll be chucking up a storm trying to get out."  
  
"I'm sure she is. My um, bag should still be up on the stage."  
  
"Sure. Stay exactly where you are."  
  
"Ahuh."  
  
"I won't be long. Stay right there."  
  
"Okay John," Monica laughed, waiting until he'd walked into the school before getting out of the car and walking back over to Butler.  
  
"Have they found him yet?" she asked.  
  
"No," he replied, eyeing her injury. "Where's your other half? Shouldn't he be dragging you back home for some rest kicking and screaming while the police handle it?"  
  
"He's collecting JJ. I'm meant to be sitting in the car."  
  
"You know you're lucky Monica. Wish I had someone to drag me kicking and screaming." Monica smiled.  
  
"One day you will, I bet."  
  
"I'll hold you to that, you know."  
  
"Okay, now who can we talk to about this?"  
  
"Captain wants your statement asap."  
  
"Good," she replied, leaving him and walking over to a couple of officers and the captain, offering an account of the situation.  
  
*  
  
John flashed his badge and was let into the auditorium. Everyone looked around, expecting more student names to be called, but lost interest when they saw him and assumed it was just another policeman. John made his way towards the stage where he saw Jodie sitting on one of the chairs onstage, holding Monica's bag and arguing with a teacher who was trying to get her off. When she saw John, Jodie's face lit up and she jumped off her chair.  
  
"Daddy!" she called, brushing past her teacher without a second thought as John got down and gave her a big hug, pulling her close.  
  
"You giving your teacher a hard time JJ?" John asked her, standing back up and showing the woman his identification.  
  
"Leslie Liebermann," she answered as he pocketed his ID and shook her hand, his other hand holding Jodie in place.  
  
"Is this all mum brought?" he asked her, taking Monica's bag and slinging it over his own shoulder.  
  
"Yeah," she replied, her eyes growing wide. "Is mum-"  
  
"She's gonna be fine. Where's your schoolbag?"  
  
"At the classroom," Jodie replied.  
  
"Lead the way," John concluded, giving Jodie's name to the officials as they left.  
  
*  
  
"Mum wasn't shot was she?" Jodie asked as they approached the car several minutes later.  
  
"No honey but she's got a black eye," John warned her as they approached Monica and Butler at John's car. Monica was sitting on the hood and Butler was leaning beside her as John and Jodie stopped in front of them.  
  
Monica slid back onto her feet and leant over to be eye level with Jodie. "Hey JJ, you okay?"  
  
"Does it hurt?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"Yep, and all the blood is rushing to my head so you better hug me quick-" Jodie smiled and stepped forward into her mother's arms, letting Monica pull back and stand quickly. She winced as she said goodbye to Butler. "Call me if anything happens-"  
  
"You know I will. I'll see you in a couple of days. When are you going to sign your statement?"  
  
"Probably later this afternoon. I'll just head down."  
  
"Oh really? You'll just drive yourself down?"  
  
"Yeah, why not?" Butler laughed as he waved goodbye, heading back to his car.  
  
"You're a riot Mon," John added, helping her into the car and preparing to leave.  
  
*  
  
They arrived at the Doggett house in no time and while John set Jodie up for a video, Monica went upstairs to change out of her suit. She only got half way through that task before the mirror beckoned again and John found her eyeing her face in the mirror in her underwear. She watched him approaching in the reflection and leant back into his arms as they encircled her waist, his lips making contact with the soft skin past the juncture of her jaw and ear.  
  
"Macho FBI Monica can rest now," he whispered, as she turned further in his arms, letting him push her up against the bathroom sink and look deeply into her eyes. "You sure everything's okay?" Monica's face softened and she nodded, leaning forward for a brief kiss. "You should probably get some clothes on then," he added, affectionately nudging her chin with one of his knuckles. Monica tilted her face quickly and caught the finger between her lips, kissing it as she nodded.  
  
"I'll be down soon." John smiled and headed downstairs to call Scully, but the phone was already ringing. John heard Jodie pick it up.  
  
*  
  
"Oh awesome!" Will exclaimed as he got a look at Monica's swollen eye later that afternoon, John having just picked him up from school.  
  
"Thanks Will, I'm glad you appreciate the effort," she replied with a wry smile. Jodie had just explained to him what had happened and, being a young boy, he was very interested in the parts with the guns, hence the interest in any injuries caused by guns or other body parts.  
  
*  
  
Even later that night, Monica waited patiently as she felt Scully's hair brush across her chin.  
  
"Well the swelling's gone down," was her final conclusion when she pulled away. "But you probably could have told me that. Can you open your eye?"  
  
"Not yet," Monica replied. "I'm working on it." Scully rolled her eyes and went to join Mulder and John in the kitchen. Monica was about to get up off the couch and follow when someone knocked on the door. "I'll get it!" she called, hearing Mulder spout something intelligent about scaring off intruders and then John come to her defence with a, 'It's not that bad!'  
  
"Hey Frankenstein," Butler exclaimed as she opened the door. "Brought you your statement."  
  
"You know it'd be you in this position if you could run as fast as me," Monica snapped playfully. "What'd you bring it over for? Come in." She closed the door behind him and followed him into the living room.  
  
"They faxed me mine so I asked them to send yours to, save you the trouble." Monica nodded, leading him into the kitchen. "Ah, the whole gang's here."  
  
"You got a pen anyone?" Monica asked, opening one of the drawers and fumbling around.  
  
"Yeah, here," Mulder answered. "Make sure you sign on the line now."  
  
"You're all so kind and caring, I don't know what to say," Monica mocked, signing her name and handing the statement back to Butler. "Thanks, you want a drink?"  
  
"Ah no, I won't stay." She nodded, smiling. "I'll see myself out."  
  
"Sure. Hey Butler-" she called before he left the room. He turned.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"That shot he fired. Where'd it go?"  
  
"Ah, it hit one of the chairs onstage."  
  
"So it flew right past you?"  
  
"Something like that," he shrugged.  
  
"If you wanna talk-"  
  
"I'm good. Part of the job as I can see you already know. Have a nice vacation!" He disappeared around the corner but Monica couldn't help herself.  
  
"I'll see you in 'two' days. No more!"  
  
"Bye Agents Doggett...or is it Agent Doggetts?" He called out before Monica heard the front door shut. She walked around to the sink and got herself a glass of water.  
  
"You two work well together," Mulder observed.  
  
"Yeah Butler's great," she replied, turning to look between the three cupboards that lined up above the oven.  
  
"What do you need?" John asked.  
  
"Drugs," she replied, picking the middle cupboard and removing a box of Panadol. "I just needed to line up my vision. It's a little off centre."  
  
"You wanna lie down?"  
  
"Augh, no I'm okay."  
  
"Monica." Monica swallowed the pill and finished off the water while John watched her sternly. She fought off the desire to walk forward and jump into his arms for a long, passionate kiss, and satisfied herself with a small peck on the cheek.  
  
"Okay daddy," she replied and walked upstairs. John was struck by how youthful Monica could sound sometimes. Just like Jodie. He bit his lip as he turned back to Mulder and Scully.  
  
"The kid he was after," Mulder began. "There's no one significant at that school, no child who'd be held for ransom, no one that could be used as bribery?"  
  
"It's not exclusive, you know that," John replied.  
  
"I'm sure they'll identify him so school can resume as soon as possible. Keep us updated all right?" She turned to John. "Thanks for looking after William."  
  
"That's not a problem," John replied as Mulder went to bring William inside, followed by Jodie. After they'd left, John picked his girl up around the waist and carried her half way up the stairs. She laughed, and after several protests to put her down he obliged, shushing her as she went to bound up the stairs two at a time.  
  
"Goodnight mum," she called at the doorway of the main bedroom on her way past it. John checked the locks on the doors and windows before heading up to bed.  
  
The answering machine! John remembered he'd seen the light blinking downstairs several times that night but had never taken the time to press replay. Oh well, he figured, he'd do it first thing the next morning.  
  
Monica was sitting up in bed with a frustrated scowl on her face. John smiled as he walked in, grabbed his pyjamas and changed in front of her.  
  
"What's the matter?" he asked. Monica smiled and shook her head.  
  
"There's something about you taking your clothes off that always makes me smile." John laughed, crawling into bed beside her and covering them both with the blankets.  
  
"Yeah but I put more clothes on." Monica nodded. "Now what 'was' the problem before I changed for your entertainment?" Monica met his eyes.  
  
"I sleep on my right side."  
  
"Hmm, how about we swap sides on the bed for the night and then you can sleep on your left side but your subconscious might think it's the right side because I'm in a different position?" Monica seemed thoughtful and rolled over until she was straddling him and leaning against his chest, his arms holding hers to him tightly so that she didn't lose her balance.  
  
"You think you could stand that?" she asked, raising the eyebrow not locked down by three tiny sutures.  
  
"Yes," he hissed, bringing her down onto his other side slowly as they kissed and keeping her close. She rested a hand on his arm and closed the eye that wasn't already swollen shut. "Comfy?"  
  
"Mmhmm," she replied, opening her eye to find that John was already asleep beside her. She gave his arm a gentle squeeze, before falling asleep.  
  
*  
  
A week later, Monica was leaning against the kitchen bench, flicking through a file when John returned.  
  
"How was the meeting?" she asked without looking up. John grunted.  
  
"Just great. Whatcha got there?" She grinned, handing him the file. He read slowly. "Where'd you find this?"  
  
"In a pile of our old stuff." He nodded, handing the X File back to her. "I miss it sometimes, you know. Never thought I'd say that."  
  
"Tell me about it," Monica replied softly.  
  
"Monica."  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"You know you left that message last week before school?"  
  
"Yeah-"  
  
"You seen him again?" She shook her head.  
  
"No, I'm beginning to think I just imagined it."  
  
"You said JJ saw-"  
  
"Exactly, and that's not possible, is it?" John shrugged.  
  
"I don't know." Monica sighed. "Something else on your mind?" She brought her eyes off the floor and to his face.  
  
"Yeah," she responded softly. John hesitated, before taking a step closer to her. He rested his hand out on the bench beside them and Monica didn't hesitate to cover it with her own.  
  
"Is something wrong?" he asked. "Are you okay?" Monica smiled, nodding.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine John. I didn't tell you something last week and I think I should have. Actually, I know I should have." John nodded but was interrupted when Jodie came bouncing into the room.  
  
"Daddy I need help with these fractions." John looked between Monica and Jodie, and Monica nodded.  
  
"I'm going to go for a walk," she said quietly. "I'll be back in twenty minutes or so."  
  
*  
  
"Well you tell me. Is eight tenths bigger than four fifths or smaller?" Jodie thought about it and John watched her draw imaginary circles on the tabletop.  
  
"Aren't they the same?" she asked, confused. John grinned. "Dad that's not helping!" He laughed.  
  
"Okay, sorry. It was a trick question. I promise, no more."  
  
"I don't believe you." John saw the smirk on her lips and forgave her sarcasm. "Is mum mad about something?" she asked out of the blue, halfway through another equation.  
  
"Mad? No of course not. When have you known your mother to be mad? Particularly at you."  
  
"Well there was the time I refused to cut my hair-"  
  
"For real, JJ."  
  
"Okay never, really."  
  
"So what gave you that idea?"  
  
"I heard her on the phone to her parents this morning and she was... I dunno what she was saying but she was upset, and she hasn't been herself."  
  
"We've both been-"  
  
"No, it's not work!" she huffed. "I know it's not."  
  
"What is it?" John asked. She sighed.  
  
"I didn't tell you something before and I should have." John took in a sharp breath as she unknowingly paraphrased Monica. He felt an overwhelming love for them both and watched her intently.  
  
"What is it Jodie?" Jodie's mouth opened slightly and she didn't reply for a long time.  
  
"You never call me Jodie," she stated. "Now I know something's wrong!" John grinned.  
  
"Come on, tell me what you know. Nothing's wrong, I promise. What did you have to tell me?"  
  
"It wasn't just you. I had to tell mum too but I... Then I thought maybe I shouldn't."  
  
"You have my full and absolute attention."  
  
"Well," Jodie began. "There's a man who's been...hanging around."  
  
"Who?" John urged, his mind already going into worst possible scenario mode.  
  
"No he's not dangerous. He's...the man that mum and I saw on the way to school the morning of the talk."  
  
"You've seen him other places?"  
  
"Well...not really. The night before that I had this dream."  
  
"A dream?" John raised an eyebrow. "This man was in it?"  
  
"No, the other man was. The man with the gun. He shot mum. Except it wasn't at school it was in the street. But it was the same, when it was happening for real."  
  
"That's why you were worried she was hurt?"  
  
"When she left the room I thought she might've chased him into the street and-" She stopped and looked at John, who nodded.  
  
"How does this man fit into it?"  
  
"Well he's um-" she shook her head and took off her glasses, abandoning all consideration of further school work. "It's really weird."  
  
"Trust me kiddo, I've seen my fair share of weird. Lemme have it." Jodie smiled.  
  
"Sometimes in the last few days he's...around. Walking down the street or sitting in the backyard."  
  
"In our backyard?" Jodie nodded.  
  
"Except that when I saw him there, Mulder and Scully were here and you were all sitting right there in front of him. He smiled when he saw you and mum kissing but you didn't see him. Do you think I'm crazy?"  
  
"No," John affirmed. "Your mum and I know what's going on but I'll have to talk to her before we fill you in, okay?"  
  
"So I'm not seeing things? I don't need new glasses or anything?" John laughed.  
  
"No, you're perfect."  
  
"Okay," she finished, almost confused. "Well..."  
  
"Something else?"  
  
"Last night I had a dream too. You and mum had a fight and she left."  
  
"Left?"  
  
"To walk around the block. Just for a little while. And then I saw the man with the gun again. But I woke up before anything else happened. I just...when mum was angry on the phone and she said she was going for a walk- It was the same feeling daddy. Like last week." John sat quietly for a few moments letting this all sink in. They hadn't been able to identify the man from the school, and hadn't been able to locate him anywhere. "Dad- " His daughter shook him out of his thoughts. "Did mum take her phone with her?"  
  
"Uh, no JJ. It's upstairs with her work things."  
  
"Maybe you could try to find her?" she suggested.  
  
"I don't want to leave you home by yourself."  
  
"You'll just be round the block, dad," she smiled. "I promise you I'll be sitting right here when you get back. You know where she's gone. Please? I'm worried." John glanced up at the clock on the wall and turned back to Jodie, nodding.  
  
"You'll be right here when I get back, you understand? And you'll lock the front door behind me."  
  
"Yes daddy." John bit his lower lip in hesitation as he stood. Jodie picked up her pencil and got back to working on her fractions as he locked up the house and left, jogging the familiar route he and Monica regularly walked.  
  
*  
  
John found Monica sitting on the grass in a small park some way across the block. She looked over at him in surprise when he joined her.  
  
"Where's JJ?" she asked.  
  
"Insisted I come find you and bring you back."  
  
"Why John?"  
  
"I had a talk with her she's, Mon she's..."  
  
"She's what?" Monica asked as John pulled her to her feet.  
  
"She thinks you're in danger."  
  
"Why would she think that?"  
  
"I don't understand it Monica, I never have, but I think you should come home. Whatever's going on, we can talk there." Monica nodded and reached for John's hand as they headed slowly home.  
  
*  
  
"Okay JJ we're back," John called as he walked into the kitchen. She wasn't sitting at the desk but John didn't worry. Monica went to the table and cleaned up her daughter's schoolbooks, before following John upstairs when she heard him call her name just one too many times.  
  
"John?" she asked, coming up the steps. John met her half way.  
  
"She's not up there."  
  
"Are you sure?" He nodded. Monica's brow creased and she turned and returned downstairs, taking a walk across the floor. She went to open the back door and found it locked. As she unlocked it she turned back to John.  
  
"I locked her in all right," he said as Monica pushed the door open and stepped out onto the veranda.  
  
"JJ, you out here?" Monica called. There were a couple of trees scattered around but none large enough for her to be hiding in. Monica doubted she was hiding at all. It wasn't like Jodie, she always made her presence known. She felt John walk right up behind her, so close she could feel his breath against her ear.  
  
"Mon," was all he said as she turned to him, reaching out and gripping his hand tightly.  
  
* 


	3. Part 3

Title: Watch Over You Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@yahoo.com.au Disclaimer: I do not own X Files, and they remain the property of the people/companies who do own it (like der) and I'm not writing this for money! Yay!  
  
Category: DRR Rating: I'm rating it R, just because it contains adult themes, medium level language, low level violence and one very tiny sex scene. Notes at Part One and final part  
  
Scully walked freely into the house hours later, the front door of which was wide open, and immediately spotted Monica and John sitting silently beside each other on the couch. Monica looked up first.  
  
"Dana," she stated. Scully took a seat.  
  
"Gnash has just arrived as well," she stated. Monica nodded, remembering Vincent from the other week at Quantico. It seemed so long ago. "We'll find her, she can't have gone far."  
  
"You're forgetting Dana," John finally spoke. "We've done this before. Don't even bother with the hope bullshit." He stood and walked upstairs and Monica looked down at her clasped hands. She watched as Scully covered them with her own and they locked eyes.  
  
"Go up to him," she whispered. "Vince will find you in due time." Monica nodded and stood. Scully watched her slowly walk over to the stairs, yet as soon as her foot touched the first, something spurred her forward and she raced up them as fast as she could.  
  
She found John sitting on their bed and he looked up hearing her thunderous footsteps. Monica stopped in the doorway, silently asking permission to enter and to be with him. John blinked and stretched out a hand. She walked up and sat facing him as he took her hand.  
  
"We will find her," she repeated softly.  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of," John replied, looking up at her.  
  
"Oh John," Monica whispered, wrapping her arms around him, John's own hands running up and down her back, pulling her as close to him as he could.  
  
"I don't think I can do this again, Monica," he choked as they rested their foreheads together. Monica's hands reached up and cupped the sides of his face.  
  
"We can John. We can do this, you hear me?" She brushed her lips across his cheek. "I love you." John tightened his grip on her as she rested her head against his shoulder.  
  
"I love you too," he whispered into her hair, feeling a few tears running against his neck. "Alive Mon," he added, nudging her back to face him as he ran a ringer along the fading bruise on her face. "We'll find her alive, you hear me? It's only been a few hours. Don't cry." Monica shook her head and ran a hand down her cheek as a knock came at the door.  
  
Vincent Gnash appeared at the threshold, looking apologetic, sympathetic.  
  
"John, Monica."  
  
*  
  
They took a seat in the living room and Monica took the opportunity to look around. It had mostly cleared out. Scully was in the kitchen on her phone, speaking quietly to someone or other. Monica turned her attention back to Vincent as he began to speak.  
  
"Did you lock the front door on your way out John?"  
  
"Uh, I told her to lock it after me."  
  
"How long were you gone for?"  
  
"Five, ten minutes," he replied.  
  
"Have you received any threats lately?"  
  
"No," Monica replied. Vince narrowed his eyes at her.  
  
"Is that a bruise Monica?" Monica's hand went to the fresh scar on her right eye and she nodded.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And how'd you get that?" His glance veered more towards John and Monica immediately stepped in.  
  
"No way Vince. Last week at JJ's school-"  
  
"Oh, guys sorry I forgot." John gripped Monica's hand tighter.  
  
"It's okay," she whispered.  
  
"You think it's connected?" Vince asked.  
  
"Connected?" Monica shook her head. "No, why would it be-"  
  
"Wasn't there some reason to think he was looking for a-" Monica shook her head.  
  
"No, it wasn't JJ. It, it couldn't be. Why would he want to..." she drifted off and bit her bottom lip. John's hand moved to her back and he squeezed gently.  
  
"Mon?"  
  
"Um..." She looked up at John, her eyes wide, and held his gaze. "There might be something." She looked back over at Vince.  
  
"Take your time Monica."  
  
"A couple of days before the incident at JJ's school, I got a call-"  
  
"To the house?"  
  
"Yes. From a, um, a woman claiming to be my mother."  
  
"What?" John asked. Monica glanced over at him.  
  
"I was going to tell you earlier but-" John had a terrible feeling in this gut that this may have all been prevented, and he knew Monica was feeling it too. Nevertheless, he nodded.  
  
"It's okay. Keep going."  
  
"What do you mean by claiming Monica?"  
  
"Oh um, I'm adopted. She claimed to be my biological mother. And then just out of the blue she asks if she can meet me. I, I didn't know what else to say but not yet, because I wasn't even sure... Who she was."  
  
"You think this is connected?"  
  
"The woman on the phone...I don't even remember if she gave a name, I thought it was a hoax at first...but she said that she wanted to be a part of her grand-daughter's life. She knew JJ's name and I never mentioned, I never even...confirmed who I was."  
  
"Perhaps she hired a detective," Vincent offered. Monica shook her head.  
  
"No, some things I just know and I knew I couldn't trust that conversation. Um, as well as that, she said she was calling from Texas, but um, there wasn't a long distance tone when I picked up."  
  
"Why would she want to take Jodie? Your daughter opened the door, remember, if we take your word that she would've locked it once you asked her?" John nodded.  
  
"She locked it, and she knew not to open the door to-"  
  
"What if she knew them?"  
  
"She's nine," Monica maintained. "She doesn't know that many people. No one from our families, or none of our friends, would expect her to follow them like that."  
  
"What if one of her friends from school came and asked her to play?"  
  
"Then she knows to leave a note," John answered. "But this is, this is the first time she was left on her own." He ducked his head. "I shouldn't have gone."  
  
"John, you can't start blaming yourself like that. She wasn't taken randomly while one of you had your backs turned. If someone came to this house, asked her to let them in and took her that way, then it was premeditated, and whoever it was would have waited until you all were at your most vulnerable. It's not as though you were being negligent, and she's a smart girl from what Agent Scully has told me. I would ordinarily have no problems with leaving my ten year old at home for five or ten minutes."  
  
"Yeah," he sighed.  
  
"Well here's what I'm going to do, since neither of you have asked me. It's usually one of the first questions out."  
  
"We know the procedure," Monica replied, leaning back into the chair.  
  
"I'm sure you do, so I'm not going to go through it with you. What I am going to do is get the phone records to this place, see if I can locate that call. I'm also not prepared just yet to let the incident with the school slip by. No one at that school, until today, has made any references to any attempts at abduction."  
  
"You'll keep us posted?"  
  
"Of course. If you think of anything, call." They nodded. "I'll see myself out, and I'll call you with anything I get."  
  
When the front door closed, Scully returned from the kitchen, her phone in her hand.  
  
"I should go as well. You'll both be okay?" Monica and John nodded, both sitting on the couch, both in shock. "Call if you need anything," she reminded them, before seeing herself out also.  
  
*  
  
The sun had set long ago and there was still no word. Monica wasn't sure whether that was a good or a bad thing, her judgement of the situation obviously impaired by her emotional involvement. She glanced over at John, who was just...sitting. He'd hardly said two words to her since Scully had left over an hour ago. She could tell he was shutting himself up, that a ten-foot, lead-lined wall had gone up subcutaneously. She wanted to talk to him. She needed to talk to him.  
  
"John," she attempted. He didn't even look over at her. Monica's brow furrowed and she tried again, this time more forcefully, her voice close to cracking. "John."  
  
"Mm." The reply was barely audible.  
  
"Is this what we do John? We just sit here like statues? We don't even talk to each other?"  
  
"What do you want me to do Monica?"  
  
"I want you to talk to me!" she whispered. "Whatever you're going through, I am also. I-"  
  
"How could you be? You never lost a child. You don't know what I'm going through," John whispered. Monica's breath caught in her throat.  
  
"How can you say that John?"  
  
"It's true."  
  
"I need you to talk to me John. I need you to tell me everything will be all right." John turned on her suddenly.  
  
"You know I can't tell you that! You know I don't believe it for a second." He went back to staring into space in silence. Monica watched him for a minute then tried again.  
  
"John."  
  
"Monica just, don't." Monica took a moment to contemplate her next words. Screw it, she thought, frowning furiously.  
  
"No wonder your wife left you," she spat as she stood and headed quickly upstairs. Somewhere a door slammed. Hard.  
  
John couldn't believe it. Monica was his wife, and she wasn't going anywhere, was she? Certainly not in the past tense... But John knew she meant Barbara. Not once since 1993 had Monica referred to Barbara as John's wife. It cut him deeply - the immediate distance she'd just placed between them - but a part of him knew that he'd deserved it. Of course she knew what he felt, that she was feeling what he was. He cast another glance up the stairs, yet before he was able to follow her there was a knock on the door.  
  
"John." John nodded his acknowledgment to Butler. "Is this a bad time?" He must have read John's expression because he hadn't said a word so far.  
  
"Kind of," he replied. Butler nodded.  
  
"Agent Scully called me. I'm going to be helping out and well, I wanted to make sure you were both going...okay."  
  
"We're not...not yet."  
  
"If you-"  
  
"Yeah thanks, we're familiar with all this crap."  
  
"You are?" Butler asked. Oh crap, John thought. He didn't know, he had no idea about Luke. This wasn't the time, however. He shrugged. "Well, tell Mon I dropped by." He went to leave but John stopped him.  
  
"Butler-"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks, for helping." Butler nodded, leaving John to find and clear things up with Monica. As he quietly ascended the staircase John wondered what he was going to say to her. How he was going to say it. She still made him nervous, and he took it as a sign that he still sought her eternal affection and approval.  
  
The only door that was closed was to their bedroom. John took a deep breath and knocked twice before trying the handle. It was locked.  
  
"Monica," he called, coughing as he said it to clear his dry throat. "Monica, unlock the door." He was about to persist and ask again when there was a click on the other side and the wooden panel was opened for him. Monica, not one to run and hide, was standing to her full height opposite him, frowning and John knew she was ready to fight. He didn't want that. He wanted her to run to him, to hold onto him, because he needed to hold onto her, he needed to run to her. "Monica I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry. It's just, waiting, it's hard work. I... I-" He took a deep breath and Monica noted his frown. "I don't want this to come between us. Whatever happens."  
  
"I never said it would," she replied. "I just... You're right John. I haven't done this before, I haven't felt what I'm feeling now, and I need you because it scares me. I know you don't want to be doing this again, but we can't change it, and I..."  
  
"What?" he called softly, realising that they were still a metre apart, but not moving any closer just yet.  
  
"If I had stayed..."  
  
"Don't do it Mon." He took his chance and walked into the bedroom, and she let him move closer to her, until their chests touched and he could link his arms around her waist, pulling her to him.  
  
"I'm sorry for what I said," she told him. John shook his head.  
  
"I deserved it."  
  
"You never deserved that." She reached up and ran her hand down his cheek. "How long, do you think?" John licked his lips but didn't answer.  
  
"Tell me more about the call," he urged. "Then I have something to tell you."  
  
"Okay," she whispered, taking his hand and leading him to the bed, where she went to sit. However, John pulled back the covers, signalling Monica to look at the clock beside the bed. It was late. They did need to rest. She undid the buttons on her shirt but left it and her sports bra on, while kicking off her jeans, and John did the same as they both slid between the sheets. They lay facing each other and John rested his head on his pillow, while Monica propped herself up on her elbow, looking down at him.  
  
"Talk to me," he stated.  
  
"There's not much else to tell. I didn't believe her and, perhaps she tried to take her to-"  
  
"Why would someone want Jodie, just because she's our daughter? We have nothing-"  
  
"I wish I had more answers John, but I didn't ask her any real questions about...well about me. I don't know what's going on. Maybe, if she's true, maybe it has something to do with why I was given away-" John ran his fingertips along Monica's free arm, her hand quickly finding a comfortable position against his heart. "And I know it makes no sense. I mean, why would they want her and not me? But...the adoption records are sealed. No one except for the real thing would know, or be able to find out, right?"  
  
"That should be the case, yes," John reassured her. "Gnash did say he'd follow it up. I'm sure he'll find something." Monica nodded, looking into his eyes with startling uncertainty, which John hadn't seen in many years. He allowed himself a small smile, remembering the last time she'd looked at him like that. It had been in the hospital after Jodie was born.  
  
'Yeah, it's just still...overwhelming-'  
  
'You're doing great, beautiful.'  
  
John realised Monica was smiling back at him. It wasn't her usual smile, but it was enough.  
  
"You said you had something to tell me?" she asked. John nodded.  
  
"It's about Jodie." Monica's eyes widened.  
  
"You didn't tell the-"  
  
"No I wanted you to know first. This isn't something the police would..."  
  
"This has something to do with when you told me she thought I was in danger?"  
  
"Yeah," John replied, realising he'd forgotten all about that conversation in the park.  
  
"Are you going to continue?" she asked, just being near him, having him stroke her arm, was brightening her spirits, giving her hope. If they'd passed on anything to that child it was their fight, their equally stubborn natures. Jodie wouldn't give anything up without a fight. John told her about Jodie's two dreams, as she'd described them to him. "So you're saying she's seen a version of reality? But it's not reality? What she sees doesn't happen, but she's on the right track, right?"  
  
"I think so. That's not all. She's seen Kris."  
  
"When he crossed the road in front of us, I-"  
  
"No, since then. Several times. She says sometimes he's walking down the street. She says he was there last week when we were sitting on the lawn with Mulder and Scully." Monica smiled. They'd only been able to find three chairs, so Monica had parked herself on John's lap, ignoring Scully's logical suggestion to retrieve another chair from the dining room.  
  
'No,' she had objected. 'This is the perfect solution!' She had smiled down at John and kissed him deeply.  
  
'Maybe you could come and sit on my lap,' Mulder had intervened. 'So we could actually get some talking done.' Monica had pulled back, John tightening his hold on her hips.  
  
'Actually I think I should stay here for a while,' she laughed, winking over at Scully. They'd all burst out laughing, John included, as Monica had leant back into his chest, continuing with their previous conversation.  
  
"Kris was there?" Monica asked as she came back to reality. John noticed a slight flush on her cheeks and nodded.  
  
"Apparently. She was concerned because none of us had seen him. I told her, I told her I'd talk to you about it, and then we'd discuss it, but that it was okay, we understood." He sighed. "She wanted to know if she was seeing things. Thought she needed her eyes checked! I told her she was perfect." Monica smiled as John shut his eyes momentarily. "She is perfect," he corrected. Monica released herself from her position and lay beside John, staring into his eyes.  
  
"I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow," she whispered. John nodded, reaching out and touching her arm, running his fingers across the fan- shaped-bundle of implanted capsules, as she held his gaze. "I think I should get it replaced." She nodded as she spoke, as if convincing herself that it was the right decision. John's expression fell.  
  
"Monica-"  
  
"Now's not the time. Maybe it's just a sign that we, that we shouldn't."  
  
"Monic-"  
  
"John," she cut him off.  
  
"Just wait a week, until this is over."  
  
"What if it's never over? Besides, it's out of date. We couldn't make love without taking that risk-"  
  
"A risk? Monica I thought that was a risk we were willing to take." Monica sighed, rolling onto her back, resting her hands on her stomach and staring up at the ceiling. This time John propped himself up, sliding even closer to her so that he was in her line of vision.  
  
"I thought so too," she whispered. "But you were right. We are too old for this."  
  
"No we're not," John cemented. "We're both as fit and healthy as people ten years younger than us, with obesity levels what they are I would think even perhaps twenty. We've accumulated a couple of extra lines Monica, what's that but proof that we can do this and do it well?" Monica looked over at him and he was warmed by the instant smile she gave him. A real smile, that genuine look of happiness that he'd missed so much just over the past few hours. He hadn't realised how much.  
  
"A week ago I was the one trying to convince you, and I still think you pulled it off better than me!" She laughed as John snuggled next to her.  
  
"Does that mean I just convinced you?" He kissed her shoulder, working his way closer to her neck and brushing her hair up into his hand to move it out of the way. Monica sighed as she felt his lips linger against her jaw.  
  
"John I feel guilty," she spoke, shutting her eyes to block the tears. "What if we lose her?"  
  
"Hey," John soothed. "This isn't the Monica I know. Where's Macho FBI Monica?" He brushed her hair back into place.  
  
"I want her back John. I miss her."  
  
"I miss her too," he replied.  
  
"I just...want her back." Monica began crying and John tugged at her far hip, pulling her into his chest where she buried her head, sobbing. He knew she was thinking about Luke, about how hard this could really be if things didn't get better soon. This was the first time she'd really cried, and he knew she needed it. It reminded him instantly of Barbara, just as distraught. The only difference was, this time he wasn't afraid to let a few tears slip.  
  
*  
  
Both Monica and John were up at the crack of dawn, having slept on and off during the previous night.  
  
"This is the most important day," Monica stated as she leant against the fridge.  
  
"Don't have to tell me that," John replied, checking his watch. The digital face flicked to 8.01 and almost immediately the telephone rang. Monica reached out and snapped it up.  
  
"Reyes," she answered without thinking. John raised his eyebrows and when Monica realised what she'd said, she looked over at him in shock. He shrugged as she went back to her conversation. "No, Dana, it was a slip of the tongue... I guess I haven't been this stressed since I was a Reyes. It's not early we've been up for hours." Monica covered the mouthpiece and glanced over at John. "That's what she thought," she whispered and was glad to see him manage a smile. "We're okay," she resumed. "Mmhmm...We'll have to wait and see, I suppose. Thankyou so much Dana. Give William a kiss for me." She smirked. "And Mulder too, okay. I'll let you know. Bye." She hung up and leant back against the fridge. John was leaning opposite her, against the bench.  
  
Within the hour they'd move to sit together on the couch and were making a valid attempt to watch the morning news show when there was a knock on the door. Monica patted John's thigh as she stood to get it, and he watched intently from his place on the couch.  
  
"Good morning Monica."  
  
"Vince," she sighed, pulling the door open. "Come in."  
  
"You better have good news," John spoke as he switched off the television and Monica and Vincent joined him.  
  
"I do I hope," Vince replied, watching as John and Monica both relaxed visibly, John reaching over and squeezing Monica's thigh. "Based on what you told us Monica, we've identified that call. You were right that it wasn't from Texas. The number is a room extension of a motel about a thirty- minute drive from here. Now I went there last night..." He drifted off and looked from one parent to the other. "And I spoke to the man occupying the room."  
  
"Man?" John asked. Vincent nodded, pulling a large yellow envelope that had been folded in half from his pocket.  
  
"His name is Miles Stafford. He's a private investigator." He handed the envelope to Monica. "This is what he gave me." Monica opened the envelope, which wasn't sealed, and removed several photocopied documents, photocopies of written notes about their movements, and several photographs of herself, John and Jodie.  
  
"He's a PI," she stated suspiciously, glancing up at Vincent.  
  
"Yes he is. He told me he was hired by a Ms Regina Regali, of Austin, Texas."  
  
"Regali," Monica asked, her eyes widening. Vincent nodded. "Did she have a brother, do you know?"  
  
"She's an only child," Vince replied, not sure where she was going with this. John nodded.  
  
"So was he, Monica."  
  
"What if they're..." she drifted off, realising that Vincent was giving them both a strange look. They'd talk about it later. For now, they listened to what he had to say.  
  
"I phoned Ms Regali and pulled her record. She confirms everything on it and faxed me details of her dealings with Stafford. I haven't managed to get my hands on your adoption papers yet, but Ms Regali emailed me a scan of what little paperwork she had on it after I spoke with her, and it looks authentic." He took a deep breath. "I tend to believe she is genuinely interested in contacting you, Monica, and she seemed distressed when I told her of the situation-" Monica nodded.  
  
"Don't answer this literally Vince cos you know what I mean," John cut in. "But how is this good news?"  
  
"It narrows down our suspect list," he answered. "We're still trying to identify the man from the school. We've got that sketch Monica helped put together circulating around as many stations as we can, but nothing came up on the prints."  
  
"This is just a suggestion," Monica began. "But did you, uh, show Ms Regali the picture?"  
  
"Now why would I do that?" Vince asked.  
  
"I, uh, it could be a possibility, thinking logically and all. There's still no motive, remember?"  
  
"Oh, I remember. We've also got a couple of guys, your partner included Monica, looking over old cases. You two were on the X Files right?"  
  
"That's finished," John answered. "There's no one there a decade later. It's long gone."  
  
"Okay. I'm going to be honest with you: since no demands have come through, there's a good chance that there's something else going on, and it might not be very good. You got that?"  
  
"Yeah, we got it," John mumbled. Monica nodded, staring down at a picture of herself and Jodie outside Jodie's school. Vincent was busy watching Monica, considering his next move. It was always much harder to conduct these investigations when the parents were cops. They just weren't naïve enough, there was no way you could even mildly sugar coat the truth. He pulled out his mobile phone and pressed a couple of buttons.  
  
"Yeah Hans, can you fax our man to Regali? With my mobile number on the top I need her to call me when she gets it... Yeah that sounds right. Thanks partner." John and Monica were both watching him curiously. "Well if something turns up there's no point in me leaving and coming all the way back again."  
  
"You could call us," John stated obviously. "No special treatment you know."  
  
"Narr, not at all. I just can't be bothered to get up. You know how it is. Working all day all night, a comfy chair and you're gone." He took a moment to look around. "You do have a nice house here."  
  
"Thankyou," Monica replied, glancing around with him. It was a bit of a mess, she realised. Who cares if the mirror sits right or not, she found herself thinking, there are more important things.  
  
While the room was silent, it seemed to grow even more so when Vincent's mobile rang. He snapped it up quickly.  
  
"Gnash here," he answered. "Thanks for getting back to me Ms Regali. Any luck with that face? I can't tell you that. At the moment we're just trying to identify him...Ahuh...ah...huh. Is this a long story? Okay well I'm not at the office, and I'm going to go there now. I'll call you back when I get there. Is that appropriate? ...Good, I'll speak with you soon. Bye." He hung up and stood up at the same time. "We've got a possible ID. I'm going to go and I'll call you as soon as anything's confirmed."  
  
"Who?" John asked, amazed that Monica had managed to connect some invisible dots across several states, when everybody else was yet to consider the possibility.  
  
"Uh...This isn't official yet- I haven't got a name, just a summary of the full story."  
  
"She knows him," Monica stated. "Come on Vince, you can't keep us in the dark."  
  
"I'm well aware of that. She says she knows him, and I confirmed that it was possible he may have been involved, and I cut her off before she could continue. I promise I will call you."  
  
"That's what they all say," Monica mused as she showed him out, waiting as Mulder and Scully both hopped out of their car and walked towards her.  
  
"Spooky," she heard Vince nod in hello to Mulder. "Morticia."  
  
"Na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na Gnash-man," Scully replied dryly. Vince waved them off as he found his own car and hopped in.  
  
"He's here early," Mulder commented as Monica let them in.  
  
"We're getting the special treatment I think," she replied.  
  
"FBI looks after it's own," Scully answered. "As with everything."  
  
"What was with the Morticia?"  
  
"He thinks we have a similar personality. Go figure."  
  
"Morning Dana, Mulder," John called as they entered the living room. "Where's William?"  
  
"Next door at his friend's house for the day," Scully answered, taking a seat where Gnash had been minutes beforehand. "So what did he want? Anything?"  
  
*  
  
An hour later Monica and Dana were sitting together on the couch talking, while John and Mulder were sitting outside, most probably doing the same thing, when the phone rang. Monica heard the back door swing open as John and Mulder returned, and she reached over and picked it up.  
  
"Monica Doggett...Jane, hi-" She glanced over at John, who's brow creased as he stepped closer to her. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "How did you- Hang on." She stood and walked to the window, pulling the loose curtains aside and peering out. "Oh my God," she said, still into the receiver. "No, no calls. It's a silent number..." Monica drifted off as John joined her at the window, spying the media truck parked outside.  
  
"Shit," he whispered, pulling out his mobile and dialling.  
  
"Oh Jane of course we were going to tell you-"  
  
"Gnash who the hell tipped off the press?" John screamed simultaneously into his phone.  
  
"No, they're wrong it's only been seventeen hours. I don't know where they got it from. No, we haven't spoken to them. It's a silent number, it's only on our records-" Monica sighed.  
  
"I want them out of here right now... Screw freedom of the press!" John hung up and turned to Monica.  
  
"Yes that's John, Jane. We don't want cameras here. We don't want a story... Oh no, please don't come down. Everything's okay- We're sorry. It's only been a little while, it's still early and we-" She stopped as John whispered in her ear.  
  
"He's going to get them away, call them to a brief statement at the station." Monica nodded, approving, and handed the phone to John. "Mum," he greeted solemnly. "You wanna put dad on the extension?"  
  
Monica looked out the window again to see the van packing up. She silently thanked Vincent and turned back to face Mulder and Scully. John had walked upstairs so that he could continue the conversation in private.  
  
* 


	4. Part 4

Title: Watch Over You Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@yahoo.com.au Disclaimer: I do not own X Files, and they remain the property of the people/companies who do own it (like der) and I'm not writing this for money! Yay!  
  
Category: DRR Rating: I'm rating it R, just because it contains adult themes, medium level language, low level violence and one very tiny sex scene. Notes at Part One and final part  
  
Early that afternoon Monica returned to the kitchen wearing a sleeveless top and jeans. She looked around for her car keys, aware of John's eyes on her the whole time.  
  
"You off to the doctor's now?" She nodded.  
  
"I shouldn't be too long. An hour maybe."  
  
"You want me to drive you?" She stopped and looked over at him. He was sitting on a stool in the kitchen, his elbows resting on an open paper.  
  
"Shouldn't you stay here in case-"  
  
"They know how to find us." Monica thought for a minute.  
  
"Okay," she answered. "I'd like it if you came." John smiled and stood.  
  
"Besides, it's not safe on the roads if you're in pain or can't steer properly because your arm's all tingly." Monica only smiled, handing him the keys as they made their way to the car after locking up the house. "So this only takes an hour?"  
  
"Less. Remember you and Jodie went shopping for my birthday present the last time, then we went to lunch."  
  
"No idea," he admitted. Monica smiled at the memory.  
  
"Yeah um, fifteen to twenty-five minutes. I had my physical two weeks ago. Everything's fine so it's all system's go. Half an hour at the most. We'll be back home in an hour."  
  
"As long as they're not running late," John added, pulling out of the street. Monica sighed.  
  
"As long as they're not running late," she confirmed, looking out the window. It was a school day, so there were no children on the street. For a minute, Monica imagined that they had all just disappeared into thin air, like Jodie. She bit her bottom lip as she realised John was talking to her. "Huh?" she asked, turning to face him.  
  
"Are we sure about this?"  
  
"No," she took in a deep breath. "John I'm not sure. And I should be, shouldn't I?" John pulled over to the side of the road and turned to her.  
  
"Before any of this happened, Monica, you told me you wanted another child."  
  
"I know."  
  
"As hard as it is, ignore everything that has happened with our daughter since. What else has changed?"  
  
"I'm just, scared, John. What if we can't?"  
  
"I'm scared too, about everything, but this isn't even a certainty. I don't want to see you disappointed again, but I don't want us to have any regrets. That's just where I stand."  
  
"And you would want to?" Monica asked. "Give it a shot?"  
  
"Of course Mon." She nodded, blinking back a couple of tears.  
  
"Okay," she replied, sitting up straight in her seat. "Let's go."  
  
*  
  
When they arrived home within the hour, Vincent was sitting on his car bonnet, parked on the street outside their house, talking into his mobile phone. Monica and John drove into the driveway and were out of the car as quickly as possible, walking down to him. He held up his hands for them to stay where they were while he finished up his phone conversation.  
  
"You could've called our mobiles Vince," John started as he walked to them.  
  
"I coulda, but I wasn't aware you were going out?"  
  
"Monica had an appointment." Vince nodded, his keen observation noting the small patching on her right arm. He didn't ask any questions.  
  
"What's new?" she asked. "Do you have a positive ID yet? Have you found him?"  
  
"Let's go inside," Vince urged. When they were all seated he continued. "We're flying Ms Regali up. She's arriving in DC within the next ten minutes."  
  
"So she is involved?" John asked.  
  
"To a certain extent. We've identified the man as Thomas Cruck. His last known residence is Cleveland, Ohio."  
  
"How does a woman from Texas know a man from Ohio?" Monica asked.  
  
"He grew up in Texas. According to Ms Regali, he's your father."  
  
"I want a DNA test before any of this goes into reports," Monica cut in.  
  
"We can do that down at the station."  
  
"You know, this is all well and good, but what are you doing about finding our daughter?" she continued, glancing nervously over at John.  
  
"The press statement I released this morning went with a picture. We've had a few calls, nothing significant. It's quiet out. I'm sorry." John nodded and lowered his head slightly while Monica's brow creased.  
  
"John can I see you in the kitchen a minute?" she asked. John looked at her, confused, but obliged.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"I think this has something to do with Kris," she began. "It just occurred to me that I haven't seen him but once, when Jodie was with me, and yet Jodie has seem him several times."  
  
"And?"  
  
"These dreams. She said I was shot the first time-"  
  
"Yeah. And the second time she woke up."  
  
"What if it was her? What if she dreamt that he was after her, but misunderstood, and Kris is there to well...watch her."  
  
"Why would she misunderstand? She was pretty clear."  
  
"Okay then, um... If she believed this man was going to shoot me, it would explain why she was so confident in being left alone for ten minutes while you came to get me, but what if she also realised there was something else. I don't know, maybe she was confused about what to do. Just...if this man came to the door, if she saw him, would she run and hide under the bed?" John sighed, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"Would he be so bold as to come to the door?"  
  
"If he was watching, he would have seen us both leave." John nodded. "But maybe he didn't come to her, maybe she went to him." They watched each other for a moment.  
  
"You think she could do that?"  
  
"If she believed we were in danger perhaps," Monica replied. John's brow creased as they both had the same thought.  
  
Vince looked up as John walked past him and up the stairs, returning several minutes later with his storage box. The lock hadn't been forced, yet it was open. Monica and Vincent both stood next to him as he placed it on the table and opened the lid. Only Monica's weapon was there.  
  
"Oh boy," Vince sighed. "I'm assuming you didn't lock it." John pulled out his keys.  
  
"On the contrary, we check it's locked every night." He held up one of several keys on the ring.  
  
"Did you check last night?"  
  
"Well no," John replied. "We've been a little distracted, but the night before last, yes we did check. I forgot all about it until just before."  
  
"Theories on how it unlocked itself then?" John looked over at Monica, who mouthed the word, 'Kris', and shrugged.  
  
"Maybe she got a hold of Monica's key," John lied.  
  
"Why would she want a gun if she knew you were just around the corner and on your way back?"  
  
"Maybe she saw it all coming and wanted to defend herself, defend us." Vince scratched his head.  
  
"Does she know how to use it?"  
  
"Yes," Monica answered. "But she has never handled it before. Ever, and she knew she wasn't allowed to."  
  
*  
  
Monica sat on the front steps and turned her head, her hair falling across her chest, as John approached her from behind, taking a seat at her side.  
  
"I don't think this is working," she stated. "The police. John, I want to do something. I can't stand another night not knowing."  
  
"I know."  
  
"What should we do? It's like they're not even trying to find her."  
  
"I think we should speak with this woman, Regali... Maybe she knows something-"  
  
"If he's not a native to DC then where could he go?"  
  
"Motels," John suggested.  
  
"There are plenty," Monica conceded.  
  
"Are we really prepared to believe that our little girl held a gun on this guy?" Monica shrugged, leaning into John's side as he held an arm around her. "How would you react to that? If you were coming to kidnap a kid, not that I even know why yet, but if you were, and they opened the door before you even got up the front steps-"  
  
"Is that what you think happened?"  
  
"Would you have bothered knocking?"  
  
"Guess not."  
  
"So you're confronted by this little kid with a gun. What would you do?"  
  
"It depends on whether I wanted her alive or..." Monica trailed off but kept going. "And how serious the child was. If I didn't have a gun of my own, I suppose I would try to get them to put it down. Say, if I only had a knife or something. If I did have a gun, I would draw mine, and expect the kid to crack."  
  
"And what if they didn't?" Monica looked up at John, her head still resting along his shoulder.  
  
"John, we're talking about Jodie, our nine year old. You're telling me she wasn't scared of what this man might do to her? That she could have held a gun on him while he-" John reached down and traced Monica's hairline down the side of her face and behind her ear.  
  
"She was so determined, Monica, that I find you before this man did."  
  
"But it wasn't true. He wasn't there-"  
  
"What if he was following you when he saw me, and went back for Jodie."  
  
"No, he wanted a kid. He said 'Where's the kid' at the school."  
  
"Okay, so, what if Vince is right, and this mystery suspect is your father?"  
  
"I don't believe it," Monica insisted. "I hate that that's all Vince is concentrating on."  
  
"It's all he has to go on, Mon. What if it's true? What would he want with Jodie, but not with you?" Monica sighed. "I really think this Regali woman might have some information."  
  
"Hopefully Vince would have any information from her by now-" Monica's head snapped up as John's mobile rang in his pocket. He snapped it open.  
  
"John Doggett... No, we're outside and the ringer's off. The media got a hold of- Oh, okay, we'll be right there."  
  
"What is it?" Monica asked, wide eyed, as he helped her up.  
  
"They want us down at the station. They didn't say why." Monica nodded, running inside to grab her bag and meeting John at the car.  
  
*  
  
They had waited for over half an hour, a fact that confused both John and Monica. After all, Vince had called them while he'd been at the station. Unless something urgent had drawn him out of the office... And administration weren't helping, refusing to release any details of his whereabouts. Their heads snapped up as the phone only a few metres from them rang and the officer behind the desk answered.  
  
"Yes they're here Detective... All right." She hung up and glanced over at them. "Agents Doggett. Detective Gnash would like you to wait in his office."  
  
"Why?" John asked.  
  
"He didn't say. It's just down the corridor to your right." They nodded, knowing the direction without having to be told. John turned the handle and pushed the door open for Monica to enter ahead of him, and almost crashed into her as she stopped dead in her tracks. John looked up to see two other people in the office: another young male officer, and a woman who was probably in her mid fifties, dressed in a neat business suit.  
  
"Can I help you?" the officer asked, standing.  
  
"Detective Gnash asked us to wait here," John replied, fishing for his ID. He turned to Monica, realising he didn't have it. She reached into her back pocket and withdrew her own, flashing it for him to see.  
  
"Your daughter is Jodie Doggett?"  
  
"Yes," Monica replied. "Can you tell us where Detective Gnash has gone?"  
  
"Uh, to make some further inquiries I believe, thanks to Ms Regali here." Monica's mouth opened. She'd thought the woman to be some kind of legal representative by the way she was dressed. "Well I'll leave you three to supervise each other. I need to make a call. Be back soon." The door closed behind the young man with a soft click and Ms Regali stood as Monica sought John's hand at her side. She found it and was grateful knowing that he wasn't letting go.  
  
Ms Regali stood from her seat and looked from Monica to John solemnly, giving them both a chance to size her up. She was perhaps half a foot shorter than Monica, and had dark, almost black hair that was twisted up behind her head out of their line of vision. Her colouring was similar to Monica's, and her eyes were almost green. She smiled at John when she saw him narrow his eyes in her direction.  
  
"They're tinted contacts."  
  
"Ah," John replied, as Monica bit her bottom lip. John involuntarily took a step closer to her, but also outstretched his hand to the woman opposite him. "John Doggett." She nodded.  
  
"Reggie. It's nice to meet you John." She looked over at Monica, who was maintaining her silence. "I'm sorry about that afternoon on the phone Monica. I should have been more patient. I'm so used to speaking my mind and getting the answers I want that I, and I guess I was nervous. I'd like to try it again if I could." Monica nodded and watched as a hand was extended to her. "Monica, my name's Regina Regali, and I'd like to get to know my daughter and her family."  
  
"Why now?" Monica asked.  
  
"The timing's crap, I know," was the reply. "I am so sorry I put you all in this position." Monica was considering her reply when the door opened and Gnash appeared.  
  
"Oh good, you're all here."  
  
"You don't sound so enthusiastic," Monica cut in.  
  
"Take a seat." Reggie didn't hesitate but Monica and John stood their ground. "I said stop being FBI agents and take a seat!" They glanced at each other, and slowly complied, John sinking between Reggie and Monica.  
  
"Talk," John stated.  
  
"I've got bad news, but I do have potentially good news. The good news is," he perched on the edge of his desk, his hands in his lap. "There's a strong chance now that Jodie is alive. That is my belief."  
  
"Bad news," Monica requested softly.  
  
"We still don't have a location, and that's the one thing we really need. The boss just issued a new media statement and released another picture into the mainstream media. We've put out a renewed request to all community shelters and outreach programs, as well as the clinics and hospitals within a decent radius. If someone who's anyone sees her, if she tries to contact someone, then we'll hear about it. I promise you that much."  
  
"What if she can't contact anyone?" Monica asked. "We don't even know who this man is, what he's capable of. What if he..."  
  
"I know who he is," Reggie spoke up from beside them as she turned in her chair to face them. "I don't know how much Detective Gnash has told you-"  
  
"A little," Monica replied.  
  
"Thomas and I dated in high school. He is your father, Monica. I was sixteen, I finished school, went to college. He stayed in Texas, had a string of bad luck and developed a drinking problem but was never arrested. We lost touch. A year ago he called me, said he was sober, in a job in Cleveland at a department store. Winfred-something, and he wanted to catch up. I told him no, but he persisted. We spoke on the phone occasionally when I could fit it in."  
  
"What do you do?" Monica asked.  
  
"I'm a Judge in Austin, and I do this and that. About a month ago, he came back to surprise me. I was meeting with Miles Stafford, the private investigator I hired to find you. You're not exactly easy to find, by the way. Anyway, Thomas was less than sober when he showed up, and before I could stop Stafford, he'd heard the words granddaughter and DC. Thomas pulled a picture off the desk and walked off with it. I never saw him after that. I assumed he'd sleep it off on his way home. I never thought...he never made any threats about it. Hardly said a word." Monica put her head in her hands as John rubbed her back. "I know it's a lot to take in. I probably should have told somebody but I never even guessed-"  
  
"It's okay," John cut her off. "You weren't to know." The room settled down and John turned to his wife when he heard her sniffle. "You right Mon?" She nodded, running her hands down her face a couple of times.  
  
"Yeah, fine," she stated, glancing up. "Can we go home?" John nodded. "I'll wait outside." As she left John stood, along with Reggie and Vincent.  
  
"Keep in touch Vince," he warned.  
  
"We're nearly there, John. I can feel it." John nodded, turning to Reggie and shaking her hand again.  
  
"Thankyou for your help. Monica, will...probably need some time. This is, draining on the both of us."  
  
"I can imagine," she replied, reaching into a pocket and handing him a business card. "Please, I'm flying back to Texas tonight, but when you get results, please call." John nodded, pocketing the card and leaving to find Monica. She was leaning against the corridor wall just around the corner. She looked up at him.  
  
"No wonder Gnash thought she was sincere, she's a Goddamn Judge," she mumbled.  
  
"You don't think she is?" John asked, taking her elbow in his arm and guiding her to the exit.  
  
"No, I...I do. I just think...there's so much I don't know..."  
  
"It'll get better, Mon. It has to get better from here." She nodded.  
  
"I just don't want to get my hopes up." John took her hand as they exited the police station. "Oh no," Monica continued as their faces turned to the sky, the rain on their skin cold and persistent. Before Monica had time to get into action, John had lifted his jacket to cover them both and they were running towards their car, Monica reaching into John's pocket for the keys as he sheltered her from the rain.  
  
"Where did that come from I wonder?" John asked as he got into the car after Monica, leaning forward and staring out the windscreen, though visibility was non-existent. He started the engine and turned on the heat, the fan, the lights and the windscreen wipers, before looking over at Monica, who was brushing strands of hair off her face. "You're soaked," he stated. She looked down at herself. "Cold?" He handed her his jacket and she smiled, the fact that it was soaking wet on one side not mattering when compared to the kind gesture. He even leant over and pulled it up and around her shoulders. Monica watched him in awe and he caught her eyes, and the questions behind them. He rested a hand on her cheek, wiping off some of the water, and she reached out and did the same for him. "I don't want you getting sick, is all." He shook his head and returned to the driving position, putting on his seatbelt.  
  
*  
  
John woke in the middle of the night to the sound of pouring rain, next to Monica's pyjamas, in an otherwise empty bed and sat up, looking around. The bathroom light was off and there were no sounds. He got up and first went to Jodie's room, but Monica wasn't there as he'd suspected. Walking down the stairs he discovered that she was nowhere to be found. He grimaced, opening the garage door to discover only one car.  
  
"Oh Mon," he mumbled to himself, trudging back inside to look for the note she would have left. Should have left.  
  
* 


	5. Part 5

Title: Watch Over You Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@yahoo.com.au Disclaimer: I do not own X Files, and they remain the property of the people/companies who do own it (like der) and I'm not writing this for money! Yay!  
  
Category: DRR Rating: I'm rating it R, just because it contains adult themes, medium level language, low level violence and one very tiny sex scene. Notes at Part One and final part  
  
Monica sat inside her car, her eyes scanning across the three motel room doors in front of where she'd parked. Her weapon was resting in her lap, still secured, as she took the keys out of the ignition and pocketed them.  
  
"Hello," a voice called.  
  
Monica gasped and jumped a mile high as she turned towards the passenger seat. Kris was smiling back at her.  
  
"Jesus Christ!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Sorry I scared you." Monica calmed her breathing and looked back out of the windscreen. "So you got my message?"  
  
"Of course I did," she replied. She'd woken during the night to find a blank business card, with an address, lying across her chest. "You wanted me to come here, didn't you?"  
  
"You left John at home."  
  
"He wouldn't have let me go. He would have called Gnash, and they would have... I need to do this myself."  
  
"He's really worried, you know."  
  
"If he's awake he will be, but he'll figure it out. I left the card."  
  
"You planning on using that gun?"  
  
"You should know that, shouldn't you?" Monica asked him. "You've been protecting Jodie. Why?"  
  
"She's your daughter. After she had that dream I was called up."  
  
"So she can...realise things."  
  
"Like you, but it's not as practised. So," he clasped his hands in his lap and sat back in the chair. "Which room is it?"  
  
"I was hoping you could tell me that," she answered. "What's going on in there, do you know?"  
  
"I wish I could tell you," he replied. "But if I do, I'll interfere, and I can't do that."  
  
"Right," Monica replied, opening her car door. "But if you tell me the number of the apartment that's just giving me a push in the right direction, and since when have you been afraid to do that?" Kris grinned.  
  
"Number seven," he answered as she left, shutting her door behind her.  
  
*  
  
John was walking upstairs to his room to get changed when he saw the small piece of card at the bottom of the steps. He hadn't noticed it in the dark, he realised, bending down to retrieve it and reading an address. He sighed, jogging upstairs to change his clothes and call Vincent Gnash.  
  
*  
  
Monica tried the handle of the door of number seven and found it locked, as she had expected. All the lights were off and the curtains were shut. As she peered through one of them, she failed to witness the door handle turning from the inside.  
  
"Hello honeybunch," a whisper came at her ear as she was grabbed from behind. Monica tried to turn and was able to stand on his toe long enough to swing her arm between then, her gun at his chest.  
  
"Get inside," she ordered, pushing him back. Once over the threshold she turned in her place. "Lock the door behind you." He did as she said and was about to reach out for something in the dark when Monica flicked the lights on, distracting his eyes long enough for her to move closer. "On the couch." She glanced around the room as he complied. It was a mess. He really was a drunk. "Where is she?" Monica asked.  
  
"Asleep," he replied. Monica watched him carefully.  
  
"Take me to her," she demanded. He nodded standing, but before Monica could take a step away from his position he grabbed her wrist and she felt a searing pain slash across her arm. She lifted her gun and fired point blank, grabbing onto her wrist and searching around for the phone. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," she whispered, not wanting to look down and see how deep the cut was. He must have had the blade all along, just waiting for the chance.  
  
*  
  
By the time the emergency call had been passed along to the police John was already arriving at the motel. Shit, he thought, seeing Monica's car lined up in front of three doors, one of which was upstairs. Screw it, he thought, knocking on the first door he came to. There was no response so he tried again. He noticed the lights were on inside, which was more than he could say for the other rooms, and so lifted his gun and fired at the lock, before hitting the door with all his strength, almost tumbling inside.  
  
It took a while for his eyes to adjust to the light but when he saw Cruck lying dead in a pool of blood at his head, he knew he was in the right room. Walking around the body he found Monica sitting on the floor, her knees pulled to her chest and her head resting back on the couch behind her.  
  
"Mon," he called, putting his weapon away. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, and John looked down at the arm she was holding tightly against her body. He covered her hand with his own and clamped tighter.  
  
"I called 911," she whispered, looking up at him. "I couldn't look for her, I had to sit down-" John nodded, realising with some relief that the blood covering her face and neck was almost certainly Cruck's. "Is it deep?" she asked, closing her eyes again. "I can't feel...I just know it's bleeding-"  
  
"I think he missed," John whispered, hoping he was right, holding onto her as tightly as he could. "You're still conscious, that's all that matters."  
  
"It was only...a minute ago," she confessed. John nodded.  
  
"The ambulance are on their way I'm sure. I'm going to go and find Jodie-" Monica shook her head.  
  
"She can't see me, John please. I think I'm going to pass out." John was crouching and had been prepared to stand and walk away but now he was torn.  
  
"Don't pass out Monica," he stated, almost scared to let her go. "I'm going to be right back, do you understand? You have to stay awake until I get back." He watched her nod and turned, running into the other rooms and throwing the doors open, switching on lights, as quickly as he could.  
  
Jodie was lying on a bed, one hand handcuffed above her head, and looked to be sleeping.  
  
"Jodie," John managed softly. Her eyes opened immediately and she rolled over, sitting up.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"You okay?" She nodded, her eyes widening, as she looked him over. John glanced down and realised his hands were red with Monica's blood.  
  
"There were shots," she stated. John heard sirens in the distance. "The key's in his pocket."  
  
"I, um, Jodie I can't get you out of here just yet, but soon, okay? You need to stay here. I'll be back soon. I promise."  
  
"Daddy!" she called as he left, trying to work out what was going on.  
  
*  
  
Monica opened her eyes as John grabbed onto her arm again.  
  
"Still here," she said with a smile. John nodded as the paramedics entered the already open door, stepping over Cruck to attend to the injured FBI agent who'd called it in. John had to step out of the way, and took the opportunity to fish in Cruck's pockets. He found a set of keys as Vincent Gnash and crew came bursting in also.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" he asked, looking around in surprise. "Is JJ here?" John nodded, handing him the keys.  
  
"Can you look after her?" he asked. Vincent looked over to where the paramedics were dealing with Monica, helping her onto a stretcher.  
  
"Yeah," he answered. "We'll keep her safe. You can come get her at the station if she's not hurt?" John nodded, not answering that question but knowing the answer - that was enough - as he followed the paramedics out of the room.  
  
*  
  
John was waiting patiently with Jodie in his lap several hours later as Monica opened her eyes. With his right hand holding their daughter in place, who'd drifted off to sleep an hour previously, his left gripped his wife's free hand.  
  
"What's the verdict?" she asked hoarsely, licking her lips and trying to stimulate some saliva.  
  
"You'll live thanks to a couple of fantastic doctors." He smiled as Monica looked over at Jodie. "She didn't much fancy spending the rest of the night with Mulder and Scully."  
  
"Is she-"  
  
"She's gonna be fine Monica. A little shaken but we recovered my gun. She still had it next to her. I think a little bit of bargaining went on, because we haven't found any other gun."  
  
"He lost it at the school," she reminded him, closing her eyes again. "I love you John. Thankyou."  
  
"I love you too. If Jodie wasn't sitting here I'd lean over and kiss you right about now." Monica turned her head to look at him, and smiled.  
  
"You'll just have to save that thought for later," she whispered, letting her eyes close for some more rest.  
  
* Epilogue - without which no story is complete :D  
  
Jodie was lying on her bed reading a book several weeks later when her bedroom door opened. She looked up, startled to see Kris there. She hadn't seen him since she entered the shelter.  
  
"Hi," she greeted softly, aware that her parents were in the bedroom just down the hall. "I thought I'd never see you again."  
  
"Well you thought wrong. I'm not finished just yet."  
  
"Mum and dad told me all about you and Kat. Where is she?"  
  
"She got a transfer to another state."  
  
"Oh," Jodie replied knowingly. Kris grinned. "They told me that you used to look out for mum before mum and dad were married, when they worked together on the X Files."  
  
"They told you about the X Files?" She nodded.  
  
"Ahuh. I think they were feeling guilty. I'm never allowed home alone again at least until I'm sixteen." She pulled a face as Kris sat next to her on the bed.  
  
"It'll go quickly. They just want to protect you." Jodie went quiet again and stared down at her book.  
  
"Do you know everything about mum and dad?"  
  
"I know everything about your mum, and a lot about your dad, yes."  
  
"Do you know about Luke?"  
  
"Yes. They told you about him?" She nodded.  
  
"Do you think mum and dad would be together, that I would exist, if he hadn't died?"  
  
"That's very philosophical for a nine year old." She looked up at him and he smiled. "Yes you would still exist, just maybe not in this life."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Is there anything else you would like to clarify before we get started?"  
  
"Started on what?" she asked, looking up at him. "Mum and dad said that you left them when they got together, and they hadn't seen you since because there wasn't any trouble. Is there now?"  
  
"No, you're all safe. I promise." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Well you are the mixture of scepticism and something else," he mused. "I can see these things you know."  
  
"Can you tell me what I'll get for my birthday this year?"  
  
"What do you want?" Kris asked.  
  
"Hmm..." Jodie looked up at the ceiling. "I want some new books and a dog," she decided.  
  
"A dog, hey? Why a dog?"  
  
"Um...Lots of reasons. What are we getting started on?"  
  
"Well there's no pressure to comply, but if you like I'm able to grant you three requests. And before you say it, no I can't bring back people from the dead."  
  
"I wasn't going to say that!" She squished up her nose and laughed. "Out of anything I want, you can get it for me?" He nodded. "What about people?" she asked.  
  
"What about people?"  
  
"Well, if mum and dad weren't together, and I wished they were, could you do that?"  
  
"Probably not, because we can't interfere in free will but I could, I don't know, allow them some situations they may choose to take advantage of."  
  
"Ah-"  
  
"Why? Is there someone you want me to set you up with?"  
  
"No! Gross!" she laughed. "Um...I don't know! Did mum and dad get these?"  
  
"Yes they did."  
  
"What did they wish for?"  
  
"They didn't tell you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well it might be a good idea if you asked them. So come on, make it snappy." Jodie rolled her eyes but smiled, removing her glasses and folding them on top of her open book.  
  
*  
  
"Are you nervous about tomorrow afternoon?" John asked as he gently manoeuvred off Monica and curled beside her. She shook her head.  
  
"Not really. She knows so much about me I just, I just know next to nothing about her. And what, do I just call her Reggie? Her name's Regali, John. Should I ask her?"  
  
"I'm sure she's willing to share her life with you Mon. Maybe one day you could ask, but there are lots of Regalis across the country I'm sure... It would be interesting to know, but if there is a connection, I'm not going to mind. There's no... way, things like that should interfere in how we feel." He leant down and kissed her forehead, then her nose. Monica got the idea and tilted her head up so that their lips met for a lazy kiss. Monica's arms wrapped around John's neck and she smiled against him as they embraced tightly.  
  
"Thankyou for caring so much," she whispered.  
  
"Goodnight Mon," John replied, smiling, as she pulled away and lay on her side facing him, closing her eyes.  
  
"See you soon," she said softly, her fingers locking around his in a familiar position as they settled down to sleep.  
  
*  
  
The next morning Jodie clamoured down the stairs only to spy her parents kissing in the kitchen. She, having already had what she knew was a mild version of the sex talk within the last year, was exposed to enough media to realise what was going on when John's hand disappeared underneath Monica's shirt. She gave a small groan, walked back up the stairs and shouted from the top.  
  
"I'm awake!" She waited a couple of seconds before jumping back down the stairs. They weren't kissing any longer, but they were still...together, which was fine by Jodie as long as there was no more sharing of saliva. While she loved that her mum and dad loved each other, that was just too disgusting!  
  
"Morning JJ," Monica called. "Want some scrambled egg?"  
  
"Yes please," she answered, propping herself up onto a stool. "Can I ask you two something?"  
  
"Ahuh," Monica replied, turning back to the stove.  
  
"What did you wish for?"  
  
"What did we wish for?" John repeated.  
  
"Yeah. With Kris. He wouldn't tell me what you wished for." John and Monica glanced at each other. Uh-oh.  
  
"Does this mean he offered you-"  
  
"Aren't you going to tell me?" she asked.  
  
"Of course," John answered. "Mon, you start."  
  
"Um, let me see... I think I've forgotten."  
  
"You have not!" Jodie laughed. "Why won't you tell me? Kris said you would. Please?"  
  
"Okay, okay, you win." Monica turned off the stove and put breakfast aside for the minute, leaning across the bench. "I wished for: a super duper Christmas tree, a clean apartment, and your father."  
  
"A Christmas tree?"  
  
"A beautiful tree," John answered, nodding in approval.  
  
"You couldn't clean your apartment by yourself?"  
  
"You know how I told you some bad stuff happened when your dad and I worked together that we couldn't tell you yet? It's in that category." Jodie sighed.  
  
"Okay. And you wished for daddy?" She bit her bottom lip, grinning.  
  
"Yes I did."  
  
"But Kris told me he couldn't do that. Make people fall in love."  
  
"We just needed a bit of a push," John admitted. "He didn't make us love each other, we did that all on our own."  
  
"Oh, okay," she replied, a little confused but moving past it. "So what did you wish for daddy?"  
  
"I wished for..." he drifted off, thinking. "I wished for Mulder and Scully and William to be safe and happy."  
  
"When weren't they?"  
  
"That goes into the category we can't tell you yet." Jodie sighed.  
  
"Everything goes in there!" John chuckled.  
  
"Just about. So you wanna hear the rest or not?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Okay then well... I think I got gypped. Because I only really expressed that one wish, the other two were taken care of for me."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well Kat read my mind and picked some wishes to fulfil for me."  
  
"What were they?"  
  
"To marry your mother and to have another child."  
  
"You mean none of you wished for season tickets to a ball game or something? Jeez!"  
  
"It was a very emotional time in our lives missy," Monica defended. "One day you'll know what we're on about, don't you worry about that."  
  
"So come on," John stated. "We shared on the assumption that you would too. Did he ask you?"  
  
"Yes, but you shouldn't make assumptions," Jodie declared. John narrowed his eyes at her and she smiled. "Okay I wished for some new books and a dog."  
  
"Good choices," Monica stated, going back to the stove.  
  
"So let me get this straight." She pointed to Monica. "You wished for him." She moved to John. "And he wished for me?"  
  
"Actually," John corrected, smiling over at Monica, who thought back to that moment, that night that they remembered so well.  
  
'I love you Monica,' John had repeated, still in her arms, in his bed. 'I am never, ever, letting you go, got that?'  
  
'I've got no complaints so far,' she'd smiled back up at him. 'I love you too.' They had kissed, Monica leaning up and whispering in his ear, 'Hate to wreck the mood, but we didn't use any-' John nodded as her head fell back into the pillow below her.  
  
'You okay with that?' he had asked. 'Or not?'  
  
'From now on,' she'd stated.  
  
'What if-' Monica had shrugged, smiling up at him.  
  
'It wouldn't be so bad, would it?' He shook his head, still dazed but deliriously happy.  
  
'Absolutely not Mon.'  
  
"Actually you were kind of a collective wish," John continued while Monica finished up her daydream. "So how come you didn't use your third?"  
  
"Oh, I kind of did," she answered.  
  
"You kind of did?" Monica asked. Jodie nodded.  
  
"I guess so, because he said dogs were really hard to get, so he said he'll take care of the other ones and that he, ahem, decided to surprise me!" She gave them both her best grin. "I'm going to get dressed," she stated, turning and running back up the stairs, trying not to laugh.  
  
"The cunning little-" John mumbled. Monica laughed.  
  
"What, you don't believe her?"  
  
"Kat said that to me," he continued.  
  
"Said what?"  
  
"She'd take care of the other one, and had decided to surprise me."  
  
"Oh," Monica recalled absent-mindedly. "Freaky." She was watching the egg and felt John approach from behind. He swept her hair behind her ear and her knees almost buckled at just that, and he whispered to her.  
  
"Monica, Jodie was the surprise." Monica stopped fiddling with breakfast as she took it all in.  
  
"You think..." She turned her head back to get a look at his face, and he looked as uncertain as she did. After a moment they smiled at each other and shook their heads, Monica laughing.  
  
"Narr, no way," she managed.  
  
"They wouldn't do it again," John consented.  
  
The laughter soon gone, they were left looking into each other's eyes, and at that moment, they both wished it were true.  
  
The End  
  
Author's notes: Okay I couldn't help throwing in the Miracle on 34th Street kind of atmosphere - you get that considering I was going to call the first story Miracle on Bennet Avenue :P Thanks to Casey for getting me writing after my block had me well...blocked, for quite a while there. And thanks to Anna, Shell, Casey and Tracy for reading bits and pieces and speaking your mind and giving you all your terrific suggestions! I had something else to put in this space but I forget now cos it's nearly 1am and I just got sprung by my dad, so I'll add it later :D ... Nup I still can't remember. Oh well! Oh I remembered! (Three hours later) I don't know any hospitals in Washington so I just named it Memorial because I dunno...there are lots of memorials in Washington :D  
  
Okay now that that's out of the way, all the information I got on Norplant was off the web at a couple of sex-ed-online sites and it's a real device that most probably will be in much wider circulation ten years from now, when this fic is set. If you want more info just search for it and it's no problem. And before anyone tells me a nine year old is too young to learn about sex I got the "mild" talk when I was eight because I, unknowingly, asked the wrong question and oh, it was just too amusing hehe.  
  
Aaaaaand feedback is always MUCH appreciated!!!!!! :D Thanx for reading!!!!  
  
Lisa. 


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